March 2025. Eddie Balfour

What is the ‘day job’?

Joint Managing Director of James Jones & Sons Ltd. I have been in this role now for seven years. The company has facilities both in the UK and Australia, operating sawmills, engineered wood product plants and pallet manufacturing sites.  I spend a lot of time travelling, visiting sites and ensuring our operations are being safely managed. Engaging with employees and ensuring we are training and developing staff is a key task. I have always enjoyed the technical details of our sawmill operations, and it is critical that we continually invest to stay competitive with Scandinavian and European processors. Identifying and adopting new technologies is another key element. Our sawmill and machinery investments require significant capital and can only be justified if we have secure long-term raw material supplies, liaising with growers on this is another important role. I have a wide remit as Managing Director and rarely get a chance to focus on one topic for very long. I have to anticipate trends, challenges and opportunities and ensure the business is always ready for change. Looking ahead and taking a long-term perspective is vital in my role. 

What do you do outside of the Trust?

I am a very active hill walker and cyclist and spend as much of my spare time as I can enjoying the wonderful Scottish countryside. I am fortunate to live in the Scottish Borders so frequently find myself at weekends deep inside a forest in the Tweed valley.  Holidays are usually spent either bike backing in Europe or exploring a remote mountain region, the general theme is to stay away from the crowds. Myself and my wife do have a particular passion for the arctic wilderness, we visited the remote east coast of Greenland last summer and are planning to return this year, no trees!

How long have you been involved with The Scottish Forestry Trust?

I was appointed as a Trustee in January 2020.

Why did you become a Trustee?

I graduated from Edinburgh University with a Forestry degree in 1988 and have been immersed in the timber processing sector for the last 35 years. The prospect of being able to step out from that world and look at wider aspects of the forestry sector really interested me. Becoming a Trustee was a real privilege and offered me an opportunity to put something back into the sector.

How do you view the role of a board member? What motivates you?

Clearly the main role as a Trustee is to ensure that we responsibly manage the funds which the Trust have been bestowed with. I feel my role is to ensure that the research that we support has an appropriate balance across all aspects of forestry.  I am representing the timber processing sector, so I want to ensure that a proportion of the research the Trust supports is relevant to the commercial sector. I can also provide a commercial perspective on research, particularly when they relate to silvicultural practices, species choice and timber properties.

What do you bring to the Trust?

I bring over 35 years spent in the world of timber harvesting and sawmilling in the UK, Scandinavia, and more recently Australia and New Zealand.  I understand the customer base for sawn timber in the UK and have a global view on timber markets. I know how silvicultural practices impact on timber quality and what is required in terms of timber properties to access higher value markets. I have been closely involved in the design and operation of some of the largest sawmills we have in the UK and can provide a commercial perspective to any changes in timber availability, timber quality or species.  I have a close insight into the challenges of getting UK grown timber into mainstream construction. Above all, I can provide a link to the commercial world!

What do you gain from involvement with the Trust?

I am gaining a wider perspective on the forestry sector, the demands on forests for recreation, conservation and the role that forests can have in carbon sequestration. I have a much more rounded view of the sector and the often conflicting demands on forest managers. I am able to bring this knowledge back into my day job and make more balanced and informed decisions within our organisation.

In your opinion, what are the most important challenges and opportunities facing the Trust?

I believe that the Trust is uniquely placed to become a more significant player in the funding of forest research in the UK. The calibre and diverse nature of Trustees offers some significant opportunities, we need to be more outward-facing and try and attract more funding opportunities.

Looking ahead, what are you most excited about over the next 12 months?

I am excited about the opportunities the Trust has to further develop its funding capabilities. The Trust has the potential to become a major contributor to forest research in the UK.