2 Welcome 3 Staff news 4 New projects. 7 NCFP 8 RDPE bioenergy 9 NERAF 10 Training opportunities 11 Seasons greetings 11 Contact us

Transcription

1 n o r t h w o o d s news 2 Welcome 3 Staff news 4 New projects 5 BEn 6 Firegroups 7 NCFP 8 RDPE bioenergy 9 NERAF 10 Training opportunities 11 Seasons greetings 11 Contact us Informing the north east's tree and timber businesses since 1999

2 W elcome to the Winter 09 issue of Northwoods News The New Year 2010 is here and with it time to reflect on all the new and exciting opportunities land based businesses across the north east region have benefited from. Northwoods are delivering two aspects of RDPE funding currently, covering forestry related training and a grant programme for businesses working in bioenergy supply chains. Read on to find out if you can take advantage of this assistance. With the end of 2009 we started a new exciting project targeting the woodfuel suppliers in the Northumberland Uplands NULogs. We are also running the Firegroups in Northumberland and Cumbria as well as the Community Flooding Partnership for Northumberland (NCFP). Northwoods is proud to continue to deliver a high standard of training and workshops for the woodfuel sector in the UK. With the BEn project RDI addresses the strategic issues of the biomass supply chain and the North East region is getting known in Europe! The team at Northwoods is ever expanding, and this year has been no exception with two new members of staff joining us! Lynne Dunleavy Project Manager for the NCFP and Darrin Woods, replacing Ethan Bigelow as Project Officer for fire groups. Another big change is going to happen in January 2010 with the current Project Director David Clubb leaving Northwoods and being replaced by Ben Tansey, who is well known in the north east biomass sector. Please read on to find out the exciting things that Northwoods have achieved over the past couple of months! About RDI Rural Development Ltd is a not-for-profit business which runs a variety of projects in the sector. RDI runs two Woodland Initiatives, one of which is Northwoods, the other being our sister organisation in Yorkshire, Yorwoods. For further information about RDI and the projects we run, visit the RDI website (details at the end of the newsletter).

3 S taff news New Northwoods Projects Director New Year is traditionally a time of renewal, and this year Northwoods is joining in by appointing a new Director. David Clubb, our Director since January 2007, is heading off in February to work for the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen. His replacement will be Ben Tansey who is currently the regional Business Development Manager for Wood Energy, a biomass installation company. Ben has a proud history of association with Northwoods, including a very productive spell as a training officer and subsequently a project officer when he ran the Forestry Forward Northumberland programme, the precursor for our current Landskills training programme. He also developed the award winning Ignite wood fuel training programme. Ben brings with him his strong business acumen, a great track record of biomass projects and a strong network of regional and national contacts to Northwoods. Ben will be taking up his post in January. David said "these last two years have been great Northwoods has grown from strength to strength and I've personally learnt a lot about the region and the forestry sector. Although the new job will be very exciting and challenging I will really miss my colleagues both in the office and in other organisations across the region. However, I know that Ben will do a fantastic job, and I look forward to hearing all about it from my new post in Denmark!" Ben Tansey new Northwoods Project Director New projects staff To find out more about our new project staff and their work visit the relevant projects pages: Lynne Dunleavy Northumberland Coomunity Flooding Partnership (NCFP) Darrin Woods Fire Groups 3

4 NULogs ew projects Northumberland Uplands Logs (NULogs) is a Northumberland Uplands Leader funded project. NULogs has one overarching aim; to increase and improve access to firewood supply in the uplands area. To achieve this we provide an online map and database of suppliers to help increase uptake of local firewood, and as the main part of the project we will offer support and training to firewood businesses. If you re a firewood supplier already or are thinking about getting into firewood supply, we can offer technical advice, business support, funding advice, training, help sourcing timber and any other help your business should need. This support is only available for businesses within the NULeader area (see here for a map) One of the most established markets for firewood exists in Sweden, so as part of the project we will offer a study tour to Sweden at the beginning of March to see best practice, and learn from their experience. For customers wanting to source local firewood we have a map of log suppliers in the area. One of the aims of the project is to encourage and support firewood businesses to take on board quality assurance measures, for example signing up to an accredited quality assurance scheme, firewood production training and monitoring. For customers this should give them the confidence that they will receive the product they want at a fair price. To find out more, or to register your interest in support, register for the Sweden study tour, please go to or contact John Farquhar on or john.farquhar@ruraldevelopment.org.uk

5 B En(Biomass Energy) Biomass energy register for sustainable site development for European regions BEn, our bio energy mapping project for the North East, which aims to support the regional biomass supply chain just finished one year. From its start in November 2008 we have been working intensively on various tasks. We started with the identification of biomass networks and actors in the region and introduction of BEn project to them. In the process of preparatory work for the development of the regional biomass master plan we carried out a regional SWOT analysis for the biomass sector in the North East and designed a template document for the master plan. of the data has been developed together with the international project partners. In the next months we will focus on data collection for the mapping tool, on the development of the bioenergy guides and concept for the regional biomass master plan. The BEn mapping tool is currently in development and we hope to present a prototype to our stakeholders soon. The data availibility for the BEn register has been investigated and a provisional structure We have also just lauched an interactive map presenting the biomass stakeholders in the North East region. The map is free to public sector and biomass related networks. All biomass suppliers, installers, consultants and support organisations are welcome to register their interest with us for a small annual fee. Follow up this topic on map For updates and news from the project visit: or project.eu Contact person: Kasia Zielewska 5

6 F ire groups Northumberland and Cumbria With the departure of Ethan Bigelow for pastures new, we are fortunate to replace him with Darrin Woods, our new wildfire project officer. Darrin is a native of New Zealand and has extensive wildfire experience, at both a practical and research level, which is already proving to be very useful not only to ourselves but the wider wildfire community in the UK. Darrin has written a few words about himself... "I have had extensive involvement in the rural fire scene, primarily through my employment with New Zealand's Department of Conservation in a fire management capacity, but also through work as a fire research technician in NZ, Canada and the UK. My previous employment in the UK was for the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, based in County Durham but working primarily at Otterburn in Northumberland. A component of this work involved research into the sustainability of moorland burning. So I am familiar with the north of England and some of the rural fire management issues that it is facing." As for progress with the group itself, the wet summers of recent years has suppressed the number of incidents and, to a certain extent, its relevance on many people s radars. However, with the ongoing threat of climate change it remains a very real risk for much of upland Northumberland and we cannot allow our preparedness to slip, otherwise we risk returning to the situation of a few years back. Hence the group has continued with many of its activities such as preparing and revising fire plans, training and monitoring fire risk. A set of Standard Operation Procedures (SOP s) have been produced and 250 copies distributed to land managers around the county. The SOP comes in a handy ring bound A6 booklet suitable for retention in a vehicle cab for immediate use. We have limited copies remaining but if you would like a supply please contact Darrin on Darrin.Woods@ruraldevelopm ent.org.uk / In conjunction with Cheviot Futures we are planning a major wildfire exercise for spring 2010 in order to test the communication and technical skills of the group and its partners. More details on our website nearer the time. We are now working with partners in County Durham to investigate the feasibility of creating a wildfire group in the county.

7 NCFP Northumberland Community Flooding Partnership The Northumberland Community Flooding Partnership was set up in the spring of 2009, as a reaction to the floods of The project helps remote rural communities at high risk of flooding, giving them support to form active community flood groups. They are given flood planning advice and training on all aspects of flood resilience for before, during and after a flood. The project supports the groups in forming working relationships with the various bodies that help them resolve the causes of some of their flooding issues. Community Forests. Lynne became the Programme Manager in the Countryside Agency's East of England region for their Active and Empowered Communities work, this included running schemes such as the Community Services Grants, Parish Planning Grants, Parish and Strategic Transport Grants, Village Design Statements and Local Heritage Initiatives. Lynne Dunleavy was appointed Project Manager for the scheme and started working with the communities in Aug Lynne graduated with a BSc degee in Geography and Landscape Studies (collegiate) from Southampton University. She has a wide range of experience working in the rural sector including 11 years working for the Countyrside Commission/Countryside Agency where she worked on a variety of land based initiatives such as the Norfolk Arable Land Management Initiative, Countryside Character, AONB's and Currently 9 communities are engaged with the project and work is underway to start to contact a further 7 in the New Year. The first community flood action plan should be in draft form in January A programme of training for the groups is being developed linking the groups to existing and new training. For further information about the Partnership or groups contact: Lynne Dunleavy T: , M: E: Lynne.Dunleavy@ruraldevelopment.org.uk W: community flooding partnership 7

8 RDPE bioenergy The RDPE bioenergy support programme is part of the Solutions for Business product, the Government s package of publicly funded business support designed to help companies start and grow, and is funded through the Rural Development Programme for England. Due to the success of the initial phase of bioenergy the programme has now been extended to March 2011 giving businesses a further opportunity to apply for business support. To date over 700,000 has been allocated by the decision making panel to 34 applicants, for a wide variety of projects. For example the Unthank Estate, in West Northumberland, has been able to develop a large scale firewood processing yard, with the ultimate aim of increasing supply into firewood markets significantly over the forthcoming years, utilising timber from the estate and other local sources. Interest in the project remains high so if you have a business idea related to woodfuel and would benefit from support please get in touch with us to see if you can benefit from the scheme, or alternatively see for guidance notes and an expression of interest form. In order to streamline the application process projects are now considered by the panel on a rolling basis. The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas: One NorthEast:

9 NERAF The North East Rural Affairs Forum (NERAF) is the link between rural communities and public sector delivery bodies. RDI has won the contract to run the secretariat for this body, and has already carried out a review of its activities for in its public perception, there's plenty of activity going on behind the scenes and we are putting together ideas which will improve the profile of the Forum, as well as better explaining what it provides for the region. We are working with the Forum to improve its operation, and the way in which it communicates with its members and the general public. Although nothing has changed The lead for the NERAF secretariat is Ben, with Pam providing an extremely efficient admin and organisational role. Contact tel ForStart Support for new entrants in the forestry sector ForStart: North East is a one year project which offers support to existing businesses to create 6 new jobs across the across the North East in the trees and timber industry. Featuring support for new intrants and businesses, ForStart: North East begins in February and provides specialist support including financial for businesses looking to take on new entrants to the sector. The information leaflet about the project can be downloaded from the Northwoods website (click here)! Northwoods news feeds! Northwoods website has RSS feeds! You can now stay informed each time we post a news item! Link our Feeds to your through the RSS icon located on the main menu bar on our website or using this link: 9

10 T training Landskills Landskills North East funding allows us to provide subsidised training courses for a diverse range of subjects. A variety of courses were run during 2009 see below for courses scheduled for 2010 keep a look out on our website for more courses as they are organised! Jan NPTC CS30 & CS31 Chainsaw Training Feb NPTC CS30 & CS31 Chainsaw Training Mar NPTC CS30 & CS31 Refresher Chainsaw Training Apr NPTC CS32 & CS34 Chainsaw Training April (date to be confirmed Forestry First Aid Training Week in the Woods Are you interested in a career in the forestry or timber sector but don't know what it entails? If so, this is the event for you. Work in the Woods Week is a week long course of events and information sessions with the intention of recruiting new entrants to the trees and timber sector in the North East. The event is aimed at people interested in starting a career in forestry and will raise awareness of the forestry industry as a potential career path and help to signpost attendees to the most appropriate next steps (including apprenticeships, employment and Landskills forestry training). Specific activities during the weeklong event include seeing what it's like to operate a 250,000 timber harvesting machine, visiting one of England's largest timber processing factories and understanding the importance of sustainable, multipurpose forestry. The event will also give potential employers the chance to meet new entrants in a forestry environment, to see potential recruits at work and to recruit these onto the ForStart: North East programme. The event will be based at Chopwell Woods near Gateshead and people from across the region are invited to attend. The event will take place in late February. The cost will be 25+VAT, and includes transport to and from Newcastle to the venue (Chopwell Woods), and lunch each day. Don't miss your opportunity! To find out more, call Pam on

11 S C easons Greetings Happy New Year 2010 The entire Northwoods and Rural Development Initiatives Team wishes all its partners, supporters, customers and collaborators a healthy, happy and successful New Year 2010! contact us If you would like to find out more about the variety of projects that Northwoods have on offer please see Please feel free to contact any member of the Northwoods team: David Clubb / Ben Tansey Project Director Northwoods Greys Yard The Old Stables Morpeth Northumberland NE61 1QD T: Jennifer Hewitson Project Officer (bioenergy) J o h n F a r qu h a r Project Officer (Biomass) Lynne Dunleavy Project Manager (Flooding) Darrin Woods Project Officer (Wildfire) K a s ia Z ie l e ws k a Project Officer (BEN) Pam Baker Assistant Project Officer Northwoods office: info@northwoods.org.uk 11