Edinburgh Napier's Dan Ridley-Ellis has received a top award from an organisation focused on helping create a sustainable wood culture in Britain.
Professor Dan Ridley-Ellis has been named as the 2016 Woodland Hero by Grown in Britain and becomes only the second-ever recipient of the award after it was established last year.
Dan was praised for his and his team’s research in understanding the growth and utilisation of domestically grown timber and how this may be affected by a changing environment, with the majority of his work carried out at the University’s Centre for Wood Science and Technology.
He said: “I am part of a great team with fantastic support from numerous partners, growers and sawmills in the UK. It is great to get this recognition from Grown in Britain who are creating more and more demand for homegrown timber which makes our work ever more important and rewarding.”
Grown in Britain has been formed for anyone who values British trees, woods and forests and the products made from them. It has established a new licensing scheme that allows timber to be marked to ensure that the forests and woods of which it came from have been managed in accordance to the government’s UK forestry and public procurement standards.
Dougal Driver, CEO of Grown in Britain, said: “Dan and his team have carried out vital research on the properties of timber grown in the British Isles and in particular the factors that affect the quality of sawn timber for construction. He is a world expert on timber grading, resource assessment and segregation of timber into the most appropriate markets and we are fortunate to have him on the Grown in Britain team, leading the charge for homegrown timber.
“The Woodland Hero award is aimed at the people who make things happen whether in the public gaze or more hidden in the vital work behind the scenes. Dan’s work on standards, grading and British Standards is largely unseen and we want to change that as he is a true Grown in Britain Woodland Hero.”
Dan's award is the latest recognition for the University’s Institute for Sustainable Construction after it recently received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its internationally acclaimed work in timber engineering, sustainable construction and wood science.
The prestigious award recognises the global impact of the University’s research into construction innovations and reducing the carbon footprint, and its influence on industry and the environment.