Savills Bolsters Rural Advisory with New Central England Forestry Team

Savills Bolsters Rural Advisory with New Central England Forestry Team

(IN BRIEF) Savills has unveiled a dedicated forestry team for central England, led by Mark Townsend and supported by Sam Riley, to cover six counties. The newly formed unit includes experienced managers Tom Whitchurch and Matt Berg, plus apprentice consultant George Taylor. This expansion builds on Savills’ national forestry practice, which has grown eightfold since 2018. The team will deliver end‑to‑end services—woodland creation, timber extraction, tree safety audits, and diversification advice—helping landowners enhance income streams and climate resilience.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 16-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Savills is strengthening its rural advisory services in central England by launching a specialized forestry division under the leadership of Mark Townsend, the firm’s UK Head of Woodland Management and Arboriculture. This new team will extend Savills’ expertise across Oxfordshire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

Joining Townsend and long‑standing Oxford‑based consultant Sam Riley are three fresh additions:

• Tom Whitchurch brings over ten years in forestry, most recently managing privately owned woodlands in the west of England. His background also includes roles at Natural Resources Wales and a prominent commercial forest nursery.
• Matt Berg arrives from Pryor & Rickett Silviculture, where he directed forest operations. Earlier, he served as a Forestry Commission woodland officer in Herefordshire and spent three years as an assistant forestry manager at Tilhill Forestry in Wales.
• George Taylor, currently pursuing a Forestry degree at the University of Cumbria, steps into an apprenticeship after three years as a forestry contractor with Kilmaha Ltd.

Mark Townsend commented, “Our central and southern arboriculture team has ballooned from just two members to fifteen since 2018. Adding Tom, Matt and George allows us to deepen our advisory capacity and better serve landowners across the central counties. They’ll plug into our national network of woodland specialists, ensuring clients benefit from both local knowledge and broader market insights.”

Emily Hartnell, who oversees Savills’ rural and projects division in the region, said, “By integrating dedicated forestry professionals into our rural business, we’re now equipped to offer estate and landowner clients a seamless suite of services—from timber harvesting and tree health assessments to woodland creation and grant applications.”

Reflecting on his appointment, Whitchurch noted, “Land management today demands diverse revenue streams and resilience against climate risks. We’ll guide clients through strategic diversification—leveraging grants, sustainable timber sales, and new woodland enterprises—to ensure both ecological health and financial performance.”

Media Contacts:

Mark Townsend
Head of Woodland Management and Arboriculture UK, Forestry
+44 (0) 7976 738 610

Tom Whitchurch
Forestry Manager, Rural Management

SOURCE: Savills