Today the OneOak tree was felled and the OneOak project launched publicly.

Some of the OneOak guests after the felling

Over 400 people braved the snow and sleet to walk into the wood on the Blenheim Estate.  Two hundred and fifty primary school children displayed work that they had been doing on the project for other guests to see. Hot chocolate, brewed on an open fire, warmed cold fingers.  Demonstrators showed guests how oak is cleaved to make roofing shingles, how charcoal is made, and how green wood is turned.  The first product from the tree, firewood logs, was made by a local firewood merchant.  Researchers from Forest Research decended on the felled tree to start weighing every branch and twig.

These and many more were just some of the highlights of the day.  The felling of the OneOak tree was dramatic and touched every one watching in different ways.

We owe a huge thank you to everyone who supported us on the day, and to those who will continue to work with us in the project.  Please come back here soon to see photos and video taken at the event today, to find out the results of the research, and to see how many beautiful things we can make from the OneOak tree.

Today was probably the busiest day so far at the woodland on the Blenheim Estate where the OneOak has been growing for the last 160 years.  Tomorrow will be even busier when the OneOak tree will be felled in front of 400 guests, including 250 primary school children and many of the future users of the tree’s wood.

Today, Forest Research got to work weighing some of the first branches to be removed from the tree.  Demonstrators for tomorrow’s launch arrived to set up their tools and machinery, including a firewood processor and an oak cleaver. They will be amongst the first users to produce OneOak products.

BBC Oxford came to the site to interview some people involved in the project.  The recordings will appear on BBC TV and Radio tomorrow.  We expect other media to be present tomorrow to record the event.

The Oxfordshire Forest School Service have met together with the Blenheim Palace education team to plan the various educational activities for the 250 children attending.

Tomorrow will be a busy day!