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Contents:

Forestry Commission Public Consultation 
Your views are sought on how the FC can support the sustainable management of woods and forests in England.  This is your opportunity to have your say in how the FC can direct their resources, perhaps redirecting grants from planting to marketing and better utilisation of timber.  Responses are required by 28th January 2002.  The consultation paper is available from Jo Ellis, The Forestry Commission, National Office for England, Great Eastern House, Tenison Road, Cambridge.  Tel:  01483 838447  Fax: 01223 460699  Email:  jo.ellis@forestry.gsi.gov.uk.  
It is also available at www.forestry.gov.uk/consultations. 

New Money for Hazel Coppice Restoration in West Sussex  West Sussex County Council is to provide partnership funding to supplement Forestry Commission WIGS grant for the restoration of hazel coppice woodland in West Sussex.  Forestry Commission will provide 50% funding, West Sussex will provide up to 40% with landowners contributing at least 10% of the total cost.  However, the woods must be within West Sussex and be unmanaged semi-natural hazel coppice woodland.  The woodland must have a minimum stocking density of 70% and show the potential for sustaining a productive coppice rotation and supporting a coppice worker.  Regrowth must be protected from browsing - Forestry Commission can assist with the cost of deer fencing, with a grant of up to 50%.  Ideally charcoal will be produced from this initial cut and if necessary, WSCC can provide training and equipment.  For further information please contact: 
Mary-Ann Edwards, Local Charcoal Coordinator
Tel: 01293 542088
Email: buchan.park@westsussex.gov.uk 
or Peter J Noot, Forestry Commission
Tel: 01420 23337,
Email: peter.noot@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 

Kent Coppice Workers Chainsaw Training Opportunity If you have yet to gain a certificate of competence for chainsaw maintenance and tree felling, but make a significant part of your income from working in coppice, we would like to hear from you.  A successful application has been made to the European Social Fund to assist those currently working in the coppice industry to comply with the current Health & Safety regulations regarding chainsaw certification and risk assessment.  Training lasts 5 days, is fully funded and is available from January for one year only.  This project is a result of research carried out as part of the INTERREG IIC Woodlands & Wood Products in Kent/Nord-Pas de Calais Project and is supported by a number of partners with a common interest in promoting safe and economically sustainable working practices in our local coppice woodlands. 
For more information ring Debbie Bartlett 01622 221565 or Dave Rossney 01580 892180.

A Permanent Display space has been found for Roundwood Enterprises’ timber frame structure built by 10 participants in June (pictured at WoodFair 2001).  You can see this shaker style building with oak shingle roof at the Eco-Merchants Yard (environmentally friendly building products), Goodnestone near Faversham, Kent.  For directions and opening times Tel:  01795 530130 

Sweet Chestnut Blight - fact or fiction?
“Recent BBC South TV reports of an imminent threat of new blight affecting Sweet Chestnut (Cryphonectria parasitica) appearing in the UK should be taken seriously” says Karen Russell of Horticultural Research International in East Malling, Kent.  “…but this disease is not actually known in UK at the moment”.  However, rather than discover too late, as with Dutch Elm Disease, vigilance by the people who work in the woods for tell-tale signs of unusual group dieback, often associated with bark cankers (unlike ink disease), will help combat the disease, if it does arrive.  Chestnut Blight is now present in northern France, and can be transmitted by nursery stock, and also on the bark of imported oak logs.  Karen can be contacted at HRI on 01732 843833 or email: karen.russell@hri.ac.uk 

Beech Sought for Climate Change Research
Forest Research at Alice Holt is looking for a small area of pole stage beech for an experiment into environmental/climatic change in the south-east.  The requirements are for an area of 0.5 ha (min.) of pure beech, currently unthinned at or approaching the stage for thinning, preferably in East Sussex/Kent. It is not a problem if the site is larger than required but it cannot be smaller than the 0.5ha.  Access would be required on a weekly/fortnightly basis and some equipment would need to be installed to monitor temperature, moisture, light levels etc. Any thinning work carried out would need to be detailed closely. If you can help please contact: Nick Tucker, Field Station Manager, Forest Research,Tel: 01420 22255  Ext. 2329, Direct Dial: 01420 526229  
Email: nick.tucker@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 

Local Timber Users Visit Northern France
A local turner, a coppice worker and local hardwood furniture maker recently participated in a woodworkers exchange trip to Amiens in Picardie, arranged by the Sussex Rural Community Council with support from Weald WoodNet.  Four small rural businesses were visited – a sawmill and three furniture makers - each opening up their workshops and showrooms for thorough scrutiny from an enthusiastic group, assisted by an excellent translator.  The region is unique both for its style of furniture and the particularly high concentration of furniture makers, often small family businesses.  Furniture makers open their showrooms for the annual Fête de la Chaise (Festival of Chairs) in September, with French and international visitors ensuring full order books for the coming year. (More pictures and info at www.woodnet.org.uk/amiens)