Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder - FREE Conference

The Woodfuel Pathfinder has now been operating for almost four years and we are fast approaching the end of the current phase of the project.

The ADAFOR Interreg project, which has enabled the Pathfinder to operate for the last two years, comes to a close at the end of March 2015.

To mark the end of ADAFOR the project partners will hold a small, two-day conference on March 5th and 6th at East Brabourne.

We would like to extend an invitation to readers of this blog and their colleagues.  The conference is FREE to attend.

To book a place please go to our Eventbrite page.

Alternatively email us at matthew.morris@kentdowns.org.uk or call 01303 815 171.

Business support for forestry businesses

The Forestry Commission has recently appointed a consortium of organisations to provide business support to forestry businesses across England.  

The objective of this support is to support forestry businesses in advance of the new grants within the new Rural Development Programme (RDP), set to start in 2015.

Mike and Max knew there must be an easier way!

A recent survey undertaken by the Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder showed that the average age of forestry machinery currently in use in Kent is around 20 years. 

Survey respondents identified 32 items of forestry machinery required to either maintain or enhance business performance.  


The cost of this machinery was just under £1 million:

Kelvin's tractor had
seen better days

• The average cost ranged from £7,250 (firewood processor) to £70,000 (harvester/processor).
• The majority of the equipment was allocated for purchase within the next two to three years (and no later than 2020).
• Forwarders and firewood processors were the most frequently cited items.
• Most investment is required in forwarding machinery (£315,000).

Mark's great great great Grandfather's
chainsaw was a bit smoky

These results indicate that substantial investment in forestry machinery is still needed in Kent in order to maintain or develop businesses performance.

The consortium, known as FACE (Forestry Advisory Consortium England), will provide free one-to-one business support.

Details of future schemes under RDP are still taking shape.  

However, based on the previous programme grant support may be available for (but not limited) projects involving machinery, training, business support, venison processing and initiatives involving collaboration.

Guy's harvester was not helped by the foam leftover
from the last woodland rave

Experience from previous rounds of these European Rural Development Grants shows that it will be important for forestry businesses to have good quality “oven ready” applications in time for the official opening.

FCE are encouraging businesses to register their interest in the support as soon as possible. 

Please choose from the appropriate regional contact below:

• East England: Corinne Meakins corinne.meakins@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 01842 819089
• East Midlands: David Bole david.bole@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 07712 750549
• South East: Matthew Woodcock matthew.woodcock@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 01483 326210
• South West: Mark Prior mark.prior@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 01392 834260
• West Midlands: Simon West simon.west@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 01905 532212
• North West: Penny Oliver penny.oliver@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 01524 565805
• Yorkshire & the North East richard.pow@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 07831 216024

Further details can be found here.

Rick's two horsepower log extractor was very thirsty

In parallel to business support the Forestry Commission is also delivering a series of workshops between September 2014 and January 2015.

To register for these events please contact Amy or Jude on 07502 985 921 or email events@lantern.uk.com.  More details can be found here.

Forestry & Wood Fuel Update - April 2014 - Free Event

The Woodfuel Pathfinder will deliver its next event at Kingston Barn on the evening on April 1st.  Full details can be found below.

To register for the event please use this link.  

Alternatively please call the AONB Unit on 01303 815 171.

Forestry & Woodfuel - Market Update - FREE evening seminar

The Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder, in partnership with the Forestry Commission and the Deer Initiative, will present an update on the forestry and woodfuel sectors in Kent on November 20th.

This free event will focus on the changes taking place in the forestry sector and provide insights into future opportunities.  

In particular the event will look at how improving markets for chip wood, in part stimulated by a new biomass power station in East Kent, may require  enhanced mechanisation and collaboration among forestry businesses.

The event will take place at the Grasshopper Inn at Moorhouse on the A25 near Westerham.  The event will open at 6:30 pm and will include a free buffet.

More details can be found below.

To book your free tickets please click here.

This event is funded by the EU ERDF Interreg IVa Channel project ADAFOR.

Timber and Wood Fuel Supply Chains - Kent Survey 2013

Since 2011 the Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder has been working to promote sustainable woodland management, wood fuels and biomass heating.

As we are now half-way through our work programme we would like to turn our attention towards the supply of timber, particularly as the markets for woodfuel continue to improve.


Our main motivations for doing this are related to: 

• The sustained demand for firewood for open fires and log stoves
• The increasing demand for wood chip for use in biomass boilers
• Proposals for a new biomass (wood chip) power station in East Kent

To help us gather up-to-date information on machinery, skills and the demand for new workers and apprentices we have developed an online survey targeted at businesses operating in the forestry sector.

The survey, which can be accessed by clicking here, will be to understand more about the forestry sector in the South East and will help direct our support package over the next two years.

The survey consists of around 20 questions and should take no more than five minutes to complete.

All information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence. It will be used exclusively by the Kent Downs AONB for research purposes only.

The survey will be open for the remainder of 2013 so there is plenty of time to participate.  We will provide a summary of the responses in early 2014.

The survey covers a range of subjects, from machinery needs to skills and training.  It also includes some questions around apprentices, particularly as we are currently looking at how we can support new entrants into the forestry sector.  

If you require any support around the subjects of training or apprentices please don't hesitate to contact us on 01303 815 171 (or email matthew.morris@kentdowns.org.uk).

New report available: A comparison of the woodfuel markets in Northern France and South East England

The Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder has released a new report that looks at the current woodfuel situation in northern France and south east England.

The report is the culmination of the Pathfinder's involvement in the ERDF funded Interreg project MULTIFOR (or Multi-Functional Forestry).  It aims to highlight the similarities and differences in the woodland and woodfuel sectors in northern France and south east England and summarises information gathered during a series of cross-border activities involving French and English project partners (namely the Kent Downs AONB Unit in Kent and La Maison Du Bois and CRPF in Nord Pas De Calais and Picardie).

The report highlights a number of interesting details about the woodfuel sectors in Nord pas de Calais and Kent and provides a number of conclusions that should be of interest to a wide range of readers.

A key finding is the fact that over 80% of the privately owned woodland in northern France is actively managed.  This compares to only around 46% in Kent.  Also, the report found that silvicultural practice is far better developed in France.

In contrast the report found that the woodfuel supply chain and biomass heating sectors are much better developed in the UK where there is a far higher uptake of modern wood heating systems.  This is caused by the UK's adoption of a tariff-based subsidy for renewable heat generation (via the Renewable Heat Incentive) in contrast to France where a low-level grants-based approach is still used.

The forestry training facility, or 'marteloscope', at
Bois de la Belle Epine (Somme)

Astrid de Sainte Maresville (Maison Du Bois)
speaking at the MULTIFOR conference

Overall the reports provides a good summary of the woodfuel situation on both sides of the English Channel.

We thank partners at La Maison Du Bois and CRPF for their help in producing this report without whom some of the more insightful findings would have been missed.

The report can be viewed and downloaded here.  Any feedback on the report would be welcomed.

Woodfuel (bois energie) project partners at the MULTIFOR conference in Rouen in April 2013

Moving towards low carbon farming

To book your place or for more information please call the Soil Association 0117 314 5127 or email pjohnson@soilassociation.org.

The Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder would be happy to assist anyone considering biomass heating as a way of reducing on farm energy use. 

For free advice and support please contact Matthew Morris on 01303 815 171 or matthew.morris@kentdowns.org.uk.

Renewable Heat grant scheme extended

HDG chip boiler installed by North Downs Wood and Heat

On 26 March, DECC announced a second phase to the Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme, which will provide further short term support for installations of renewable heat technologies in the household sector.

The new phase of the scheme will run in Great Britain and again focus on houses not heated by mains gas. As with phase 1, there will be two parts to the scheme: a voucher for private householders and a competition for social landlords. Consideration is being given to the introduction of a Community Competition.

Statistics for the RHPP indicate that 785 biomass boiler grants have already been issued.   The second phase of the scheme, worth £25m (£10m more than the first phase), should provide even greater support for the installation of renewable heat technologies in the household sector.

The RHPP runs in parallel with the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), the World's first financial incentive for renewable heat.  This is open for commercial heat installations (which includes multiple domestic properties connected to a central biomass boiler).

RHPP Phase 1

This phase of the scheme will run until 30 March 2012. Applicants should note that the on-line application form will be removed from the Energy Saving Trust website during working hours on 30th March 2012. Regardless of when customers applied for or received their voucher, and in order to be eligible to receive their grant, all completed claims must arrive at the address printed on the voucher (Energy Saving Trust, Edinburgh) before midnight on 31st March 2012.

As part of the scheme, DECC and EST ran a competition for social housing providers to part-fund projects to install renewable heating. See below for a list of the winners who were awarded funding.

RHPP Phase 2

Under the new voucher scheme, homes not heated by mains gas will be able to apply for grants for air-to-water-source and ground and water source heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal. All householders can apply for grants for solar thermal. There are minimum energy efficiency criteria, and householders must agree to complete customer questionnaires, as well as making provision for the installation of a meter to monitor their energy use and performance of their heating system.

Woodfuel Pathfinder featured on BBC Countryfile

In case you missed the most recent episode of the Countryfile, and the feature on coppice management and woodfuel, you can see it here on the BCC iPlayer: Countryfile March 11th 2012.

The venue was Torry Hill Fencing, a business that clearly demonstrates how good woodland management can yield a range of benefits.

It was also pleasing to see that the only waste product from the process, the bark that is removed from the chestnut lengths before they are split for pailings, can be used as goat feed (which was a somewhat unexpected by-product from a morning's filming with Matt Baker)!

Renewable Heat Incentive - application help events

Good turnout at Woodfuel Pathfinder contractors event

The function room at the Dog & Bear in Lenham was packed to the gunwales last Thursday as forestry contractors from Kent and Sussex gathered for a roller coaster update on apprenticeships and training, grants and the evolving market for woodland products.

Around 70 people representing a wide range of businesses with an interest in the forestry and woodland management sectors attended the event.  There was a lot of interest in the new woodfuel grant (WF WIG) from the Forestry Commission, LEADER and the new Farm and Forestry Investment Scheme (FFIS). 

Mike Furness from Ngage Solutions, the company responsible for delivering the WF WIG in the South East said:

"It was great to have a packed room to spread the word to.  We have already had two firm follow-up calls for significant roading schemes as a result of the event and we would encourage anyone with an interest to get in touch."

Feedback since the event also suggests a high level of interest in the LEADER and FFIS schemes, both of which are designed to assist rural businesses invest in green projects and new machinery.

There was a lot of debate on the night about how potential apprentices could be identified and retained in the forestry sector.  Some delegates also raised concerns about the cost of equipment and training for new staff.  However, a quick show of hands revealed that six businesses were considering taking on apprentices.  The training providers in attendance at the event (Plumpton College and Concept Training) also expressed great interest in supporting these businesses with work-based learning for apprentices.

The Forestry Commission provided a summary of how markets for woodland products, and in particular wood fuel, are developing and highlighted several examples of installed biomass heating schemes and local wood chip supply chains.

As the evening progressed a clear message emerged: A good package of support for the land-based sector still exists, and with the recent announcement of two major new grants (with a combined total of £30m funding) now is the time to pick up the phone and find out how your business can take advantage. 

The presentations from the event can be found here:

• Introduction
• Evolving market opportunities
• Woodfuel WIG
• LEADER and FFIS
• Plumpton College
• Apprentices

The imminent opening of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) at the end of November will provide a strong market-based opportunity for the forestry sector over the next few years.  If your business needs support on any of the subjects covered in this article then please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder on 01303 815 171 or matthew.morris@kentdowns.org.uk.

Woodland Contractors Workshop - Nov 17th, Lenham, Kent

Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder: Woodland Contractors Workshop

Dog & Bear (Lenham, Kent) on November 17^th at 7pm – Free Buffet

After many years the markets for Kent’s woodland products are improving, woodfuel is starting to provide opportunities for lower quality material (particularly at a local level) and people are increasingly recognising the value of wood as a sustainable product. 

If, as an industry, we are to take advantage of these developments we need a robust and evolving network of woodland contractors.  Appreciating that there is a huge range of business models we would like to better understand what would help existing contractors develop their businesses to respond to the improving conditions.

The workshop will also provide an update on support available to the sector including:

·         The evolving market opportunities

·         The FC’s new Woodfuel Woodland Improvement Grant

·         Grant support for machinery & business development

·         Funding for apprentices

The Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder is a joint Forestry Commission and Kent County Council project (with funding from the EU ERDF Interreg IVa programme) exploring what temporary support would help the woodland industry evolve to become fully self-supporting delivering:

•              Market driven sustainable management of Kent’s woodlands

•              Maintenance of Kent’s landscape character & secure local jobs

•              Carbon lean & sustainably sourced fuel for local heat

Over 70 contractors from Kent, Surrey and Sussex are being invited to this event.  It provides an opportunity to tell us what would help YOU, learn about new initiatives and network with other companies operating in the sector. 

Places are limited.  Please email matthew.morris@kentdowns.org.uk (or call 01303 815 171) to reserve a seat.

Evening briefing seminars: Presentations

The presentations from the recent briefing sessions can be read or downloaded via Scribd using the following links:

Matthew Woodcock - Forestry Commission: Biomass heating examples
http://www.scribd.com/doc/62320782/KDWfP-Biomass-heating-examples

Stewart Boyle: The Renewable Heat Incentive
http://www.scribd.com/doc/62320257/KDWfP-Renewable-Heat-Incentive-overview-and-examples

Matthew Morris: Kent's woodland resource
http://www.scribd.com/doc/62318444/KDWfP-Kent-s-Woodland-Resource

If you have any questions about these presentations, or any other related matter, then please feel free to contact us at the following email address: matthew.morris@kentdowns.org.uk

Welcome to the Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder Blog

The Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder Blog has been set up to provide a temporary repository for information relating to the Pathfinder project.  In particular it will be used to communicate project information, such as the recent evening briefing sessions, as well as general information relating to woodland management, woodfuel and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which opens for business on September 30th.

We also want to encourage users of this site to write their own articles as well as stimulate debate by commenting on items.  Articles can be submitted directly to myself (matthew.morris@kentdowns.org.uk).  To comment on an article you will need to use an existing profile recognised by the Google Blogger software or create a new one (this is very easy and only takes a few moments).

To get things started we will create a distribution list using Google Groups, so that we can keep you informed when we post new articles.  Everyone who booked onto the recent evening events using the event web site (Eventbrite) will be added to this group and you will receive notification of this shortly.  If you do not want to be part of this group, either now or any time in the future, just let us know and you will be removed.  Please also email me if you want to ADD anyone.

So, welcome to the blog - we hope you find this site useful.

Matthew Morris
Kent Downs Woodfuel Pathfinder Coordinator
Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)