WoodLots News November 2002
|
|
|
For
further details: |
Click on the following bookmarks or simply
scroll down the page:
Woodland
Enterprise Centre
TO LET superb office suites
Sustaining
England's Woodlands:
Will the recent Forestry Commission Public Consultation & Review be
transferred into real and useful action?
Hurricane
Timber
Bryan Kinnear’s oak timber framed garage with office space.
Funds
for Wood Fuel:
Projects utilising wood as fuel can now access funding
Funds
for Wood Fuel:
Projects utilising
wood as fuel can now access funding via the Croydon, Kent & Surrey
Community Renewables Initiative (REACH). If you are a community group,
association, not for profit trust or a forestry business based in Croydon,
Kent or Surrey and have a good proposal involving wood as fuel then REACH
may be able to help.
For an information pack ring 020 8683 6671 or for an informal chat call Eddy
(Croydon) 020 8760 5791, Debbie Bartlett (Kent) 01622 221565 or Nigel
Blandford (Surrey) 020 8541 9436
Bryan Kinnear’s oak timber framed garage with office space. Charles Willment sawed the timber for this traditional building from oak butts discovered lying forgotten by the owner since the 1987 storm
Sustaining England’s
Woodlands
Will the
recent Forestry Commission Public Consultation and Review be transferred
into real and useful action for woodland owners in the South East?
With only 30% of privately owned woodlands currently in Forestry
Commission management schemes, what needs to happen to engage the remaining
70%?
In April 2001 the Forestry Minister, Elliot Morley MP, requested a review of
the Forestry Commission’s support for the sustainable management of
existing privately owned woodlands in England. An independent Steering Group
was set up (including woodland managers and owners) and the public were
consulted – nearly 400 questionnaire responses were received, whilst over
750 people attended consultation seminars and focus groups.
In June 2002 the Steering Group made its extensive recommendations.
The FC’s response has now been published and clearly states that there is
need to: ‘Pay closer attention to the views and experiences of woodland
owners and managers…and involve them more actively in the development of
policy and support mechanisms’.
Some significant intentions outlined in the FC’s Response that directly
relate to timber production are:
New
grant packages will be introduced for harvesting, processing and marketing,
with a ‘more efficient grants and licences administration system,
releasing more Woodland Officer time for promotion, advice and technical
support’. Note:
grant aid is already available to help meet the costs of uneconomic thinning
operations in small broadleaved woodlands.
Business support is to be made available for
contractors and woodland businesses.
The FC grants and licences system is to be aligned with the UK Woodland
Assurance Standard (UKWAS) to avoid duplication of paperwork for those
seeking certification, and a simplified UKWAS application for small
woodlands is in development.
Partnerships with local Farmers Markets and similar initiatives are to be
developed.
A greater proportion of FC resources will be shifted to a regional and local
level, taking regional variations into account and targeting funding
appropriately.
The Steering Group’s Report and FC’s Response are available at the FC website: www.forestry.gov.uk. Alternatively, any of these documents can be obtained from the Forestry Commission, Great Eastern House, Tension Road, Cambridge, CB1 2DU. Tel 01223 314546