We’re pleased to announce our upcoming forestry safety workshop, taking place on Wednesday 18 November 2026 at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells, as part of the Learning and Development Programme, which we’ve been appointed by Welsh Government to develop and deliver.
Titled ‘Learning from Practice: Improving Safety Across Forestry Operations’, the event forms part of a wider series of workshops and seminars within the Learning and Development Programme, bringing together forestry professionals, contractors and industry representatives for an afternoon of learning, discussion and knowledge sharing.
Working alongside Confor, the Forest Industry Safety Accord (FISA) and other sector partners, we’ll be exploring important health and safety topics across forestry operations, sharing experiences from those working in the industry and looking at how we can continue to improve safe working practices.
What can you expect from the event?
Working in forestry comes with its own set of challenges, and keeping people safe is something everyone across the sector has a part to play in.
Throughout the afternoon, we'll be looking at real examples from forestry operations, discussing common challenges, and sharing the latest industry guidance.
The sessions will cover five key areas:
Forestry establishment: Practical case studies and relevant FISA safety updates.
Harvesting operations: Experiences from the industry, operational risks, and current health and safety considerations.
Forestry haulage: Common challenges, safe working practices and industry guidance.
Wildfire: Practical experiences and important health and safety considerations associated with wildfire.
Wider forestry health and safety: Updates, information and data from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), with opportunities to ask questions and join the discussion.
There will also be plenty of opportunities to catch up with colleagues, network with fellow forestry professionals, and share experiences from working in the industry.
Who should attend?
Whether you're a forestry contractor, harvesting or haulage operator, woodland manager, forestry business owner or someone responsible for overseeing health and safety, we'd be delighted to welcome you.
The workshop is particularly relevant to those involved in day-to-day forestry operations, as well as managers and supervisors looking to keep up to date with industry developments.
It's also a chance to hear how others are approaching common safety challenges, ask questions, and take away practical ideas that could be useful in your own work.
Event details
The event will take place on Wednesday 18 November 2026, from 12:00pm to 4:30pm, at Hafod y Hendre, Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, LD2 3SY.
The afternoon will begin with registration, lunch, and refreshments at 12:00pm, followed by the first session at 1:00pm.
The workshop will include industry case studies, FISA updates and discussions covering forestry establishment, harvesting, haulage and wildfire, alongside opportunities to network with others working across the sector.
We'll be sharing the full agenda and speaker details soon, so keep an eye out for further updates!
Please note that timings and session content may be subject to change.
Join us in Builth Wells!
We're looking forward to bringing together people from across the forestry sector for what promises to be an interesting and informative afternoon.
With contributions from industry practitioners, FISA and Natural Resources Wales, there will be plenty to discuss, and we hope everyone attending will leave with useful knowledge and ideas to take back to their own workplaces.
We'd love to see you there! If you're interested in attending, register your place today and join us on Wednesday 18 November! Book here: https://www.focusonforestryfirst.co.uk/training-courses/19nov-fse