About

Our Story

Established in 2018 The SLIM Woodlands C.I.C is a small woodland consultancy delivering mighty woodland solutions across England and Wales from its base in the Forest of Dean.

Conducting ethical business is at the heart of everything we do – that is why the Company was set up as a Community Incorporated Company (C.I.C) limited by guarantee. The Company is therefore a not-for-profit social enterprise with no shareholders. SLIM stands for Sustainable Low Impact Management - because active management via irregular forestry is a silvicultural method we would like to see deployed more often in lowland woodlands.

Our total commitment to delivering high standards of professionalism and quality in our work is demonstrated by the Company’s formal registration with the following bodies:

The Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF);
The Forest Industries Safety Accord (FISA);
The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM);
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB);
Lantra - one of the leading UK awarding bodies for land-based industries.

We had humble beginnings undertaking coppice restoration work, making coppice products, and teaching rustic chair-making courses. Over 7 years the Company has grown in reach and standing.

We have recently undertaken nationally-significant woodland research, shaped forestry policy and guidance, and are currently delivering essential training to the forestry sector across Great Britain. This is in addition to continue delivering expert forestry solutions for our core client base - private woodland owners and managers across England and Wales.

Undertaking forestry operations (thinning) of native woodland in Gloucestershire to improve its condition

Vision

The future we want contains thriving resilient woodlands in the British landscape. The woodland will be understood and cherished by local communities. The woodlands will be rich in biodiversity; deliver renewable home-grown timber, woodfuel and employment as part of a circular economy; and will provide a host of other ecosystem service benefits.

It is a future where woodland owners and managers are empowered to act with confidence and clear purpose. This is because the forestry regulatory and support regime works for them not against them, and trusted forestry expertise is readily available.

Mission

To help achieve our Vision of the future, our Mission is to get more small and medium-sized woodlands (many of which are currently neglected) into active responsible management and stewardship. This will secure their long-term future enabling them to provide all the benefits to the environment, society and the economy that a brighter future will require.

We will achieve this Mission by:

- empowering decision takers (those who own and manage such woodlands) with technical advice, practical expertise, and training to achieve their woodland goals;

- influencing decision makers at strategic level through research and policy work.

In doing so, we will help deliver a legacy of responsible woodland stewardship and professional excellence in forestry.

Values

Integrity

Ambition

Innovation

Company Founder and Director

Graham Morgan founded the Company in 2018 and has been its Company Director and Lead Woodland Consultant ever since. He is a Chartered Forester, Chartered Environmental Scientist, Ecologist and environmental planner.

Graham has 24 years professional experience of assessing and advising on the management of land and water assets across Great Britain, including woodlands. He has a proven track record of undertaking practical forestry operations, influencing environmental and forestry policy, delivering complex multi-disciplinary projects, and undertaking a number of significant land-use studies on biodiversity, climate change and forestry. He is currently also a Director of the National Coppice Federation. Graham is a passionate advocate for social equity, environmental responsibility and helping more people connect to actively-managed resilient woodlands.

Graham's most significant professional achievements include:

- 2019: Chair of CIEEM’s Policy Working Group (England) during which he co-authored its climate & biodiversity emergency declaration and addressed ministers during the inauguration of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Nature at the House of Commons;

- 2023: Co-authored the joint ICF and CIEEM position paper on bringing more woods into management. Also sat on the stakeholder reference group advising Scottish Forestry on the 5th review of the UK Forestry Standard;

- 2025: As National Project Manager delivered a 3 year study on coppice woodlands via the Forestry Commission's Woods Into Management Forestry Innovation Fund. Produced landowner guidance, set up a regional advisor network and he was instrumental in helping introduce the FY6 coppice restoration higher tier grant through Countryside Stewardship.

Company Director Graham Morgan enjoying time in a healthy resilient woodland

Graham Morgan BSc MSc MICFor CEnv MCIEEM

Our Clients

Forestry England;
Severn Trent Water Ltd;
Somerset Wildlife Trust;
The Smallwoods Association;
The National Coppice Federation;
Red Rock Forestry Ltd;
Focus on Forestry First;
Johns Associates;
Red Kite Network;
Wye Coppice CIC; and,
A wide variety of woodland owners and managers, forestry professionals, and new entrants into forestry

Teaching a course in Monmouthshire to forestry professionals