New animated forestry film

Animating Forestry was shown publicly today for the first time to Confor's packed Scottish conference in Edinburgh. It is the latest in a range of materials produced to better explain the sector to a wider audience and shows a typical household with a range of wooden domestic items, and emphasises how new woodland needs to be constantly planted to ensure we can continue to provide these products. 

The film, which is just under two minutes long, goes on to demonstrate that wood is the most sustainable building material and why we should be using more of it.

Confor launched the animation, produced by creative agency Cravens, at the conference, Forestry and Timber: Scotland's Hidden Success Story. 

Confor Chief Executive Stuart Goodall said: "Animating Forestry gets across some very simple and direct messages which make it clear that wood and wood products are all around us. It illustrates the link between planting and growing trees and the wood products we use in our everyday lives - and explains why wood is the world's most sustainable building material. We hope the animation will help build on the success of the Confor film, Our Forests, Our People."

Released at the end of January, Our Forests, Our People shows how the sector works and its economic, social and environmental importance to communities and the UK as a whole. It has already more than 2500 views.

Mr Goodall added: "The forestry and timber sector needs to make the case for new planting more directly. Until now, we have lacked engaging materials to tell our story - but the video and now the animation are helping us explain things clearly to a much wider audience.

"Confor continues to take the lead in ensuring the forestry and timber sector tells a positive story about its achievements - through political engagement, media coverage, events, high-quality publications and now video material. Again, we encourage our members to share the animation as widely as possible."

Melanie Schouw, Business Director at Cravens, said: "We were delighted to produce the animation for Confor and to tell the compelling story of the connection between tree planting and the wood products in our homes."

The animation can be viewed here.

* Detailed reports on the forestry conference will appear online later this week.