Woodlands.co.uk

Woodfuel Strategy

Woodfuel Strategy

 

I am a forestry student from the University of Wales (Bangor) and am writing a dissertation on the implementation of the England Woodfuel Strategy 2007. The strategy claims that

  • only about 40% of the potential annual harvest from England’s woodlands is actually harvested, and
  • that if 50% of this under-harvested woodland is brought into management

then an additional 2 million tonnes of woodfuel could be produced annually, equivalent to the energy needs of 250,000 homes. Woodlands are often seen as being under-managed, and I am keen to include the views of owners and managers of smaller woodlands, and would therefore appreciate any help that you could offer

I’m looking for evidence of whether woodland owners and managers are developing their management plans to take advantage of the new woodfuel markets, and if so what incentives are encouraging them to do so (whether they are selling commercially or simply providing for friends and family).

I am also particularly interested in learning the views of woodland owners and managers who have investigated this market and decided not to 'go down this road', and to understand the constraints they’ve faced, or their motivations for managing their woodlands without a woodfuel harvest.

To gather this information I have prepared a short online survey which asks questions about your woodland, your management plans, and your attitude to woodfuel harvesting. It is completely anonymous, and takes only a few minutes to complete.

Please can you help me by completing the survey? Here is the link http://tinyurl.com /woodmansurvey1

If the link doesn't open automatically, please cut and paste it into the address line of your browser.   Thanking you in advance for your help.

Bruce Richardson (I can be contacted at  [email protected])


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Discussion

Hi Andy,
I wonder if you could help, I’m trying to find out how much of the UK’s wood fuel is currently being used in biomass plants, I’ve heard a rumour that 85% of supply is already spoken for by existing biomass systems, particularly the requirement for very large plants.
Have you come across this issue or perhaps you could direct me to where I may find such information.
Thanks
Grant

Grant Miller

25 September, 2012

I currently coppice hazel for hedgelaying – many of my plants have been neglected in the past so I am able to harvest the larger logs for woodfuel. I also have elms which die periodically but remain standing. I leave some for wild life but others can be harvested for fuel. I burn logs myself in a backboiler woodburning stove at home, and I sell logs to a number of local regular customers.

Andy Malleson

10 February, 2011