Wilfred Hiley

Another post on a notable Hiley......this time, Wilfred Hiley (1886-1961), a forest economist of world fame.

Wilfred Hiley occupied the post of manager of the Dartington Hall woodlands from 1931 to 1961. In 1956 he received a CBE in recognition of his services to forestry.

Having obtained a First from the University of Oxford in 1908, Hiley lectured in Forestry Economics from 1926 until 1930 at the Imperial Forestry Institute in Oxford. From 1923 until 1946 he was editor of the Royal Forestry Society and in 1950, he was elected the Society’s President.

Hiley was keen to practise his theories of economic management and operation. After acting as an advisor, he accepted the post of manager of the Dartington Hall woodlands. He was employed to take the estate forestry forward. His ideas of forest economics and species selection are still taught at schools of forestry and his redwood planting has become one of the most impressive parts of the entire estate.

He pioneered forestry management techniques which were used by the Forestry Commission to tackle severe timber shortages following World War I. 

He wrote several books, such as Improvement of Woodlands, 1931 and Economics of Plantations, 1956. A Forestry Venture, his most well-known work, was completed by Leonard Elmhirst, after Hiley’s death in 1961.

With thanks to Catherine Gledhill at Dartington Hall for permission to use the photo and information about Wilfred Hiley.

Wilfred Hiley in the Dartington Hall woodlands