Woodland management and woodfuel sector get big training boostWoodland management and the woodfuel supply chain across the East of England are set to receive a major boost with a raft of new training courses aimed at everyone from woodland owners to forestry contractors, woodfuel suppliers and advisers.
Woodfuel East has allocated around £130,000 to support training courses, and they are looking for partners to help them deliver this training to all sectors of the industry. Hosted by the Forestry Commission and supported by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Woodfuel East is directed by a board of leading players in the region’s woodfuel sector.
“Providing high quality, relevant and carefully targeted training is one of our top priorities,” said Woodfuel East manager Edwin Van Ek. “The region’s woodfuel sector has huge potential to save rural businesses money on their heating bills, to cut carbon emissions and to improve woodland management. Training courses have got a big part to play in helping people understand how to produce and make best use of woodfuel so we’re really keen to hear about the sort of training that’s needed.”
The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) awarded £4.3 million to increase the use of wood-based energy production, support the rural economy and help cut carbon emissions by providing locally produced and sustainably sourced fuel. David Sillett, rural development manager at EEDA said: “This training will assist in the efficient co-ordination of the woodfuel sector supply chain, from land owners through to the marketplace for wood chips. This will in turn help create jobs and businesses in the rural economy, improve biodiversity and reduce the reliance of carbon–producing fuels.”
Woodfuel quality is a hot topic, so courses focusing on production, storage, seasoning and moisture content are likely to prove popular. General training in woodland management will also be supported with the new funding – many woodland owners have asked for basic help and advice, mirroring Woodfuel East’s objective of bringing 15,000 hectares of the region’s woodland into active management. Modular training is also likely to be a popular approach with topics ranging from a basic introduction to woodfuel heating installations to more advanced topics such as timber measurement, thinning and coppicing, deer management, harvesting, extraction, storage of round wood, chipping, transport and marketing.
“We will be providing some training ourselves at Woodfuel East,” said Edwin, “but we are looking for other organisations to help us deliver most of the training courses. We’re hoping to hear from people already involved in woodland management such as farmers and landowners organisations, and we’re also keen to work with educational institutions and private-sector training companies in the land-skills sector.
“Training courses can be classroom-based, field-based or a mix of the two. We can support demonstrations, seminars and workshops and we can support the creation of demonstration woods used to deliver training. “We can also put together custom training courses, and work with others to help create new courses. So if people can’t identify the training course they need, we’d ask them to get in touch and we will try and deliver what’s required.”
Woodfuel East hopes that the training will complement existing courses by building awareness and knowledge of the woodfuel sector.
Training providers will receive up to 65 per cent of the cost of running courses with the remaining costs covered by course participants or by another private sponsor.
Organisations or individuals interested in running training courses can find out more by contacting Woodfuel East on 01223 773072 or by email at woodfueleast@forestry.gsi.gov.uk , and there are full details on the web at www.woodfuelseast.org.uk and at www.landskillseast.co.uk . Landskills East provides rural businesses with improved access to skills and training opportunities in the region.
To be eligible for support, training courses need to run in the East of England (Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire), and participants need to be directly or indirectly dependant for their income on the forestry sector. Training providers will need to demonstrate a track record and experience in the provision of training courses similar to those recommended for support.
Norfolk pub finds local solution to cutting carbon 
A 15th Century village pub is one of 15 properties to find a locally-grown source of heating and hot water – thanks to Norfolk County Council and Woodfuel East.
The council set up a £50,000 grant fund to help Norfolk home and business owners install woodfuel boilers, as part of its carbon reduction programme. The scheme was administered by Woodfuel East, through the Forestry Commission, and 15 grants have now been made - including one to the Mermaid Inn, in Elsing, near Dereham.
Kevin Wills, landlord of the Mermaid Inn, said: “We decided that a woodfuel heating system could meet our aims of saving money, substantially reducing our carbon footprint, maintaining traditional ambience and using local resources. Without the grant from Norfolk County Council and Woodfuel East’s help, we wouldn’t have been able to install this new heating system.
“The woodfuel boiler fits really well into the traditional surroundings and our customers have commented on how the pub feels warm and welcoming.”
Sid Cooper, Woodfuel East’s Norfolk Business Development Advisor, said that modern, woodfuel boilers were a carbon-lean source of heating and hot water – especially in areas without mains gas. He said: “The woodfuel boilers which have been part-funded by this county council grant will generate a total of 450 kilowatts and cut the county’s oil consumption by more than 35,000 litres a year. This will save more than 100 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.”
New grant for East of England woodlands
New advisory service grants from Woodfuel East can give woodland owners in the region 80 per cent off the cost of a day's management consultation.
Phil Potter, a Woodfuel East Business Development Advisor, said: “This new Advisory Service Grant will fund 80 per cent of the costs a day’s woodland management advice from one of five, nominated, environmental consultants.
“The consultation will help owners to understand more about managing woodlands to improve their environment and create an income from woodfuel.”
The nominated consultants for the East of England are: FWAG (Caroline Blew 01473 652800); Lockhart Garrett (Justin Mumford 01536 408840); Silvicultural Systems (John Fulcher 01787 881465); Smith Gore (Marc Liebrecht 01543 261999) and UPM Tilhill (Geoff Edwards 01284 728542). To apply for a subsidised advisory visit, contact the consultants directly.
Cutting Carbon in Bedfordshire Means BusinessBedfordshire’s woodlands are helping cut the county’s carbon emissions and providing business opportunities for people working in woodfuel supply.
Woodfuel East is a regional initiative helping businesses to make the most of these opportunities, which will create jobs and improve the county’s biodiversity.
Stella Cornell received a Woodfuel East grant towards buying Rowan the logging horse – which will be in action on Sunday 7 March at the National Trust’s Chute Wood on the Dunstable Downs.
Phil Potter is Woodfuel East’s Business Development Advisor for Bedfordshire. He is working to get more woodland in the county actively managed and supporting businesses along the woodfuel supply chain.
He said: “Locally-grown woodfuel is a carbon-lean source of fuel, as the trees capture carbon as they grow. By managing more of Bedfordshire’s woodlands for woodfuel, we can improve habitats for the county’s wildlife and create jobs for people.
“By helping to fund this logging horse, we are also helping Stella’s business to provide a much-needed service to woodland owners.”
Woodfuel East Market PlaceWoodfuel East has established the Market Place to help match the supply and demand for round timber in the East of England.
This free online marketplace gives potential woodfuel customers details of their nearest suppliers. To join the Woodfuel East Market Place, register on this site.
Please spread the word around the woodfuel sector as the more people who use this facility the more useful it will become.
Advisory servicesAre you a woodland owner thinking about managing your land to produce woodfuel? Uncertain about how to start? Woodfuel East can help!
Woodfuel East is keen to help increase sustainable woodland management. Our target is to bring 15,000 hectares of unmanaged and under-managed woodland back into management by 2013. This will stimulate the production of an extra 110,000 tonnes of timber a year which, as woodfuel, could l displace an estimated 75,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Woodfuel East can now offer a subsidised advisory service which will:
Provide initial advice to woodland owners and occupiers of woodland which enables them to make decisions that will lead to improved management of their woodland.
Produce a basic report on the woodland's potential and its capability to support the woodfuel supply chain.
Provide the basis for more detailed management plans and plan sustainable woodland management activities.
hese could then be funded under the Forestry Commission’s English Woodland Grant Scheme or other grants.
Woodfuel East can cover 80% of costs for this advisory service through the Rural Development Programme for England(RDPE). Woodland owners can choose from
FWAG
Smiths Gore Ltd
Lockhart & Garratt Ltd
UPM Tilhill
Silvicultural Systems Ltd
Further advisory services may be supported, if agreed in advance, as long as these services fit within the aims and objectives of Woodfuel East, and are not subject to other funding mechanisms (i.e. HLS, EWGS). Your advisor will need to discuss and agree these requirements with Woodfuel East before further services are provided.
The activities of Woodfuel East cover Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Woodland owners and occupiers of woodland receiving the advisory service must be based in the region, with the majority of their woodland receiving the support being within the geographical boundaries of the region.
Woodfuel East Boiler Installation Grant
Woodfuel East is pleased to announce that it can now help with funding to install modern, automated, woodchip-fired combustion systems for farm diversification and farm modernisation projects, small energy supply companies, micro-enterprise projects, tourism projects and community buildings!
Click here for more information
Deer Management – Risks & Liabilities 30 September 2010 Great Barton, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Delivered by John Thornley OBE and Charlie Parkes OBE, co-authors of the book Deer Law & Liabilities
Deer management in modern times with increased public access is a practice that calls for comprehensive and strict guidance if individuals and corporate bodies are to safeguard public safety and avoid potentially expensive litigation or criminal prosecution. The course aims to provide an awareness of the risks involved and examine the means through which they can be minimised.
There will be a case study based on a shooting fatality, a knowledge level assessment for each individual and facilitated discussion and input on the critical issues affecting the liabilities of modern day deer management. Guidance will also be given on the completion of risk assessments and the drafting of Stalking Licenses.
The course is certificated and candidates will be provided with a computer disc containing relevant information including a draft risk assessment. Signed copies of the Authors book will also be available at a discount.
Date: Thursday, 30 September 2010 Venue: The Village Hall, Great Barton, Suffolk, IP31 2NR; Time: Registration 12.30, Start 13.00; Cost: £35.50 per person
To book a place on this course please contact David Hooton at The Deer Initiative, PO Box 465, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6XD
Cheques made payable to The Deer Initiative.
MEET WOODFUEL EAST
Woodfuel East will be attending shows and events across the East of England in 2010.
We will be at:
- CLA Event – Woodland – the Burning Issues – Sandringham - April 21
- East Anglian Game and Country Fair, Norfolk Showground - April 24/25
- Essex Young Farmers’ Show, Roxwell, near Chelmsford - May 16
- Bedfordshire Young Farmers’ Rally, Pertenhall, near Grafham Water, May 22
- Royal Norfolk Show, Norfolk Showground– June 30/July 1
- Woodworks! at Marston Vale – September 4/5 Come along and meet us there!