PRESS RELEASE - Woodfuel East
New Funding for Woodland Management Helps Fight Climate Change in East of England
The battle against climate change has taken a step forward in our region with new funding coming on-stream to help woodland owners/occupiers improve the management of their woodland, thus encouraging tree growth and increasing absorption of carbon dioxide.
Under a new project run by Woodfuel East, woodland owners/occupiers across the East of England are now eligible for heavily subsidised woodland management advice from selected professional consultants such as Lockhart Garratt Ltd (LGL).
LGL is offering woodland owners/occupiers a day of professional time for £100 plus VAT, which includes:
- Site visit to assess your woodland's potential and discuss management options;
- High quality, written report summarising the woodland's characteristics, available grant support and its economic potential for e.g. timber production and woodfuel;
- All travel and other expenses.
The remaining 80% of the advisory costs will be met by Woodfuel East via the Rural Development Programme for England.
"Effective woodland management results in stronger tree developments so that they lock up more carbon as well as helping them cope with climate change. The trees can also be sold into the woodfuel and timber markets to substitute the use of oil and to take the place of carbon-hungry materials such as steel or concrete", explains LGL Director, Justin Mumford. "This project offers woodland owners or occupiers an easy and affordable way to kick-start or improve their woodland management, helping them to identify other ways of generating income from their tree resource whilst combating climate change".
The woodland summary report produced by LGL will be based on a template specifically designed by Woodfuel East to capture much of the information required when applying funding mechanisms such as the Forestry Commission English Woodland Grant Scheme.
It covers information such as species composition, management objectives, strategy and constraints and harvesting yield potential.
"The process has been kept as simple as possible, with minimal paperwork involved", Justin Mumford says. "There may also be the potential for further grant assistance under this project to help the woodland owner or occupier implement the work identified and make it become a reality".
Anyone interested should contact Justin Mumford in the first instance on 01536 408840 or justin.mumford@lockhart-garratt.co.uk.
