Popular Poplar

The entries for the 2007 Poplar Challenge, which was judged at The National Forest Wood Fair, made an impressive display. But amongst a recycling box, a Tower of Babel, a clutch of dragons and a ‘nest egg’ money box, it was an intricate model of a cottage that caught the judges’ eye.

Winner Pat Corcoran said: "It was a fascinating challenge to work with a kit of wood like this. The cottage took me about a fortnight to make, and the grandchildren will enjoy it now."

All entrants to the competition, which is run by the Poplar Tree Company in conjunction with the National Forest Company, were provided with a free ‘poplar pack’ containing a range of timber lengths similar in size to the poplar wood currently being harvested from young poplar woodlands in The National Forest.