eNews November 2010

Chris Roberts, South West Regional Director 

It is with much regret and great sadness that ConFor has to inform you that Chris Roberts, South West Regional Director, died yesterday, 9 November 2010.

We have no details at present on funeral arrangements but anyone wishing further information please contact Liz Hughson

Welcome to new members

ConFor had a very successful recruiting effort at APF2010, with 58 new members during the show and more subsequently.  Given the sheer number of new members these are listed at the end of this issue.

Comprehensive spending review  

Defra came off relatively badly in the comprehensive spending review with cuts of about 30% by 2015 once the effect of inflation is included.  Defra's Secretary of State, Caroline Spellman, wrote a letter explaining the impacts.  More details are expected soon.

FC England disposals  

There has been considerable misinformation in the media about proposed FC sales, mainly confusing FCE with FC in other nations of the UK.  Subsequently, there were statements from Scotland and Wales explaining their devolved forestry status.  An enabling Bill has been laid in the House of Lords that contains new proposed powers to make changes to a range of government bodies, including the FC. http://www.confor.org.uk/NewsAndEvents/Default.aspx?pid=300

P ramorum update

A brief update report on P ramorum in larch is here.

Regular updates are available by emaling mailto:liz.hughson@confor.org.uk

Caroline Harrison is ConFor's UK lead on this. 

ConFor's South West Woodland Show 2011  

Following the highly successful move to Longleat Estate last year, ConFor is delighted to announce that the show will return there in 2011, but with an exciting added impetus: ConFor is teaming up with the FOREST Programme UK Trade Show to attract exhibitors from across the biomass industry supply chain, complementing the wide range of forestry and timber businesses regularly exhibiting. 

In order to provide a range of sponsorship opportunities for all budgets, while ensuring equable treatment for all supporters, ConFor has introduced a framework of gold, silver and bronze packages.  There will be only four private sector businesses in the gold category, which includes pre-show coverage on literature etc, so it will be first come, first served.   (Please note that The FOREST Programme is the headline sponsor.)  If anyone would like to discuss sponsorship, please contact Jane Karthaus jane.karthaus@confor.org.uk or tel: 01668 213937.

CAP Report

The future of CAP is of great importance to forestry in the UK, both with regard to direct financial support via incentives and indirectly via its impact on agriculture and land availability/prices. With the aim of maximising forestry's influence in EU negotiations and subsequently in country rural development plans, ConFor recently commissioned consultant Angela Douglas to carry out a scoping exercise.  See ConFor's Press Release here.

Update on RHI

The Government has confirmed that the RHI will go live on June 1st 2011, two months later than originally planned. It will be reduced by 20% and paid for directly by the Treasury - £860 million of funding. Exactly what impact these changes will have on the scheme as previously published remain to be seen and we are unlikely to know before the Government provides its response to the recent consultation. The Government estimates that the RHI will drive a more-than-tenfold increase of renewable heat over the coming decade.

Regional growth fund, England

The government has announced that its new £1.4bn Regional Growth Fund is now open for business. http://www.confor.org.uk/NewsAndEvents/Default.aspx?pid=301

FC Wales seeks customers' views on new timber strategy

FC Wales is seeking the views of its customers on the way it sells timber. Comments are to be submitted by 19 November 2010.  FC Wales produces 770,000m3 obs of timber every year from the Assembly Government woodland estate and it wants to hear from its customers and timber trade representative bodies on its revised marketing strategy.  http://www.confor.org.uk/NewsAndEvents/Default.aspx?pid=302

Wood Awards

ConFor sponsors the Wood Awards. The results of the this year's awards are at http://www.woodawards.com/

Pollution prevention guidance consultations UK

SEPA, in partnership with the Environment Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), produces a range of Pollution Prevention Guidance Notes (PPGs). Each PPG gives advice on the law and good environmental practice to help reduce environmental risks from business activities.

Public consultations are now open for the following PPGs:

PPG 26: Storing drums and intermediate bulk containers
Deadline for response: 10 December 2010.
https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/green/spills

PPG 29: Safe storage - combustible materials, prevention and control of fire
Deadline: 24 December 2010.
https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/green/ppg29

The final versions of the PPGs will be valid for the whole of the UK.

Members are urged to look at these and send comments a week before deadlines to jamie.farquhar@confor.org.uk

Restock survey  

Helen John is conducting a GB-wide questionnaire for Forest Research, to establish current restocking practice in the country, with particular relevance to Hylobius management. http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/fr/INFD-5STC8A

If you have any questions please contact Helen: helen.john@forestry.gsi.gov.uk or tel: 07909 997203.

Greenhouse gas reporting  

The 2009 guidance on greenhouse gas reporting provides no incentive for businesses to include land-use change, including woodland creation, as part of their approach to reducing GHG emissions. To address this, Defra issued an informal discussion document on 12 October 2010 seeking views on draft guidance on how organisations should measure and report greenhouse gas removals and emissions from woodland creation and removal. If implemented, the guidance would be supplementary to "Guidance on how to measure and report your Greenhouse gas emissions".

Comments are requested by 07 December 2010.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/ghg-woodland

An explanatory note is at: www.forestry.gov.uk/england-wctf

Employer survey

Proskills, which is undertaking a review of the Wood National Occupational Standards and developing the Sector Qualification Strategy, has a short on-line survey for employers, to provide further information on what should go into the Sector Qualification Strategy.  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3QRJ6B8

EVENTS  

ConFor and the Small Woods Association present Demystifying woodland insurance and liabilities, at Farnham, 02 December 2010. A day of lively presentations, interactive workshops, information and discussion with experts in their field. Not to be missed. http://www.confor.org.uk/NewsAndEvents/Events.aspx?pid=25&id=716

Make money from woodchip for biomass heating, 11 November at Easton-in-Gordano J19 M5, and 18 November at Mere near Warminster.  Events run by West Woods and partners. http://www.westwoods.org.uk/

Thomas Pakenham, author of Meetings with Remarkable Trees, on 20 November 2010, at Bucks New University, High Wycombe. John Morris, tel: 01844 355503.

Renewable Futures 2010, Pioneering the decade of delivery, in Bath, on 23 and 24 November 2010. The event will focus on the lessons learnt from pioneering renewable energy schemes and how we can scale up delivery to meet the huge growth needed; also, green energy awards presentations.  A discount of 10% has been offered to ConFor members, code PARTNERS, when booking.  http://www.regensw.co.uk/events/regen-sw-events-/renewable-futures-2010

NEPIC's International Bioresources conference, at Newcastle Gateshead Hilton, 25 November 2010. www.icisconference.com/GRP47402/agenda

Bucks Berks and Oxon Woodland Forum 17 November 2010.  Details from Karen Kay at FC, tel: 01296 696 543.

Farm Energy Event, on 08 December 2010, at the East of England Showground, Peterborough www.farm-smart.co.uk/ukgrain

Woodfuel demonstration, organised by Heartwoods, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, 08 December 2010. Tel: 01952 435860 or email info@heartwoods.co.uk http://www.heartwoods.co.uk/

2011

ConFor's South West Woodland Show, 09 September 2011, at Longleat Estate, Wiltshire.

New members:

Tree Shop, Forest of Dean
Tods Murray LLP, Edinburgh
Hi-Line Consultancy, Exeter
Woodserve, Brigg
Mr D Boult, Skelmersdale
Mr E Boyd, Dunoon
Mr P Carley, Kineton
Mr C Cartwright, Whitbourne
Mr J Cowling, Havant
Mr D Cubitt, Huntingdon
Mr S D Day, Barnsley
Mr P Frizzell, Diss
Mr C Hambridge, Ashford
Mr A Harvey, Hanham
Mr R Montague, Eccleshall
Mr M Parnham, Ashby De La Zouch
Mr M Peaster, Bridgewater
Mrs S M K Priddle, Cullompton
Mr D Randall, Banbury
Mr G Renny, Umberleigh
Mr G Ritchie, Aberdeen
Mr D Shaw, Whitby
Mr T Steele, Milton
Mr A Stephens, Cannock
Mr F Tickell, Glasgow
Mr J Turner, Salisbury
George Carr & Sons, Bedminster
HWENERGY LTD, Fort William
Mr L Malin, Shenington
Mr A Price, Carnforth
Mr J Stronach, Falkirk
Mr D W Dolby, Farnham
Mr N Harrison, Wooler
Mr R Pass, Newmarket
Mr A Pickup, Newark
Mr L Robinson, Crediton
Mr J Shorthouse, Pitlochry
Mr L Taylor, Templecombe
Mr P Argyll, Leominster
Mr S C Reddish, Mansfield
Mr J Waterson, Newport
Mr M Richardson, Aberdeen
Mr J I A Robertson, by Kippen
Mr T Steuart Fothringham, Perth
Mr M Alder, Hitchen
Mr M B Andersen, Ambleside
Mr J Anderson, by Pitlochry
Mr K Bascombe, Penrith
Mr O Carter, Liphook
Mr E J Clarke, Stafford
Mr T Cleeton, Stourbridge
Mr D Crawford, Penrith
Mr L Dalrymple, Penrith
Mr J P Daniels, Preston
Mr J Dunford, Weymouth
Mr A Gibson, Ipswich
Mr I Grimwood, Broseley
Mr J Hall, Harrogate
Mr A Hallam, Carnforth
Mr I Hempshall, Tibberton
Mr I Hughes, Dolgellau
Mr C Ingram, Kendal
Mr N James, Bangor
Mr L Jones, Llangelni
Mr L Jones, Penrith
Mr A J Matkin, Burton on Trent
Mr J Matthews, Whitby
Mr J E May, Armathwaite
Mr D Parsons, Kingswinford
Miss S Pilbeam, Kimberley
Mr M Platt, Formby
Mr C Redfern, Peebles
Mr C Saxton, Bury St Edmunds
Mr A Sperling, St Neots
Mr R Stark, Bridgewater
Mr A J Taylor, Carnforth
Mr D Thwaite, Altringham
Mr B Tinnion, Keswick
Mr H Wakefield, Penrith
Mr H Wakefield, Dereham
Miss H Webb, Dulas