This is the story of a master carver, a Western red cedar, and sixty years of woodland history
Some stories take decades to complete. This is one of them. It begins in the 1960s with a young man helping to plant saplings on land where ancient woodland had been cleared. It ends, or rather, continues with those same trees becoming something extraordinary in the hands of a master craftsman.
We are thrilled to introduce Jim: a magnificent squirrel carved entirely from our own Western red cedar by the celebrated sculptor Paul Sivell.
Sixty Years in the Making:
A Personal Connection
When the Forestry Commission cleared the ancient woodland here, a young Paul Sivell was among those who came to replant it. Row after row of Western red cedar went into the ground under the watchful eye of foreman Jim Winter. Those trees grew tall over the following six decades, their rings recording every season.
When Helen asked Paul if he would like to name the squirrel, he didn’t hesitate. “Jim,” he said, after Jim Winter, the foreman who had overseen that long-ago planting. It felt right. The wood, the man, the memory: all woven together in a single carved form.
And the circle is not yet complete. Later this year, when we replant native trees on this land, Paul will be there to help, bringing the story back to where it began.
It Starts With a Vision and a Pencil
Every great carving begins long before the chainsaw roars to life. Paul started by studying the timber and sketching his design directly onto the prepared log, a squirrel, low-slung, full of energy, poised as though it had just spotted something in the undergrowth.
The First Cuts:
Releasing the Form
With his Stihl chainsaw, Paul began the rough work: removing the large volumes of wood that didn’t belong, letting the squirrel’s outline emerge from the cedar. This is the boldest, most committed stage, every cut changes everything.
The rough form taking shape. It’s still raw, but unmistakably alive.
The Chainsaw Work Complete:
Jim Takes Shape
Stepping back, Paul surveys the sculpture after the main carving is done. Jim lies full length, his body fluid and dynamic, the grain of the Western red cedar flowing through every contour. There’s a wildness to him, he looks ready to spring.
Refining the Form:
Detail by Detail
With the major form established, Paul moved to smaller tools; angle grinders and rotary burrs; to bring out Jim’s character. The haunches, the curve of the spine, the tilt of the head. Each pass of the tool reveals something new in the cedar.
The most delicate work of all: carving Jim’s eyes and facial features with a rotary tool. This is where a carving stops being a shape and starts being a creature.
Oiling:
Bringing Out the Beauty
The final stage is the most transformative. As Paul applies oil to the cedar, the wood’s warm amber and russet tones flood to the surface. What was pale and rough becomes rich and glowing. The grain, the knots, the subtle variations in colour, absolutely all of it shines.
Done and Delighted
Paul with Jim, finished and gleaming. The smile says everything. This is what it looks like when sixty years of connection to a place results in something you can stand beside and say: I made this. I planted the tree. I shaped the wood. I gave it a name.
Paul is also going to carve a fox for us, and when we replant native trees later this year, he’ll be there to help. The woodland gives, and the woodland receives.
We’d Love Your Feedback
We are considering organising something rather special, an auction later in 2026 where every single lot will be made from timber harvested from our own woodland. Paul’s carvings will be the centrepieces: Jim the squirrel, a fox to come, and perhaps more besides, but we we would want the auction to celebrate the full range of what our wood can become.
We’re thinking along these lines:
- Jim the Squirrel (Paul Sivell)
- The Fox (Paul Sivell, in progress)
- Hand-crafted benches
- Wood-turned bowls and vessels
- Bug hotels and wildlife homes
- Coasters and small gifts
- Seasoned firewood bundles
- Other turned and carved items
Firewood is in great demand at the moment, and our own woodland timber could be something rather special to burn for warmth or to give as a gift.
We’d love to know what you think about this idea and what you would most like to see and bid on. Would an all-woodland auction appeal to you? Is there something particular you’d love to see on the auction list? Drop us a message or comment on social media posts to share your thoughts on this. Your enthusiasm will help us decide whether to go ahead and what to include.
🗓️ 2027 Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust Calendar
Sponsor a Page. Support the Island.
Our 2027 calendar showcases the extraordinary wildlife and landscapes of the Isle of Wight through the lenses of the island’s own brilliant photographers. It is a publication that will sit on desks and walls across the island and beyond for an entire year — and we have two ways for your business to be part of it.
Month Sponsorship — £150 12 opportunities — one per month (only 3 remaining)
- Your business name and logo featured prominently across your sponsored month’s full page
- Listed as a supporter in all promotional print and digital materials
- One complimentary calendar (additional copies available to purchase)
- Direct funding of Isle of Wight red squirrel conservation, publicly demonstrating your commitment to both red squirrels and a dedicated Isle of Wight charity
Supporter Square — £30 12 opportunities — logos featured together on a shared page (only 7 remaining)
- Your business name featured in a supporter square on our shared supporter page
- Listed as a supporter in digital promotional materials
- One complimentary calendar (additional copies available to purchase)
- A meaningful, affordable way to ally with us and publicly demonstrate your commitment to both red squirrels and a dedicated Isle of Wight charity
Whether you’re a sole trader wanting to show your values or an established business looking for year-long local visibility, there’s an opportunity here for you. All proceeds go directly to the Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust and the work that we do here on the Island.
To find out more about sponsorship and to secure your slot, click here.
Helping nature find its way back to the light, one leaf at a time.