Forestry & British Timber articles from December 2004

Forestry & British Timber archives from December 2004

TIME TO SHED LIGHT ON A GREY AREA.
December 1, 2004... If a government office were to house a large population of rodents in its cellars, overflowing into adjoining properties and businesses, they would very soon be sorted out, in a trenchant way. Likewise, if state woodlands are allowed to be...

FC PREPARES TO ABANDON PRIVATE SECTOR IN ENGLAND.(Forestry Commission)
December 1, 2004... Both State and private woodlands face prospects of oversupplied timber markets as increasing output from plantation forestry inexorably stokes up competition in world markets. Forestry Commission Director General Tim Rollinson was in typically...

Lockerbie mill looks to future.
December 1, 2004... `This investment marks a firm commitment... to developing the long-term future of (our) Dumfries and Galloway operations'. John Kissock, MD of Larbert, Central Scotland-based timber processors James Jones & Sons Ltd was unveiling the `potential...

Seeing the wood - and more.(The WoodWorks)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The WoodWorks! festival of wood, woodlands and wood products, organised by the Forest of Marston Vale with funding from the Local Heritage Initiative, brought together the widest range of tree, wood and woodland-related crafts, trades, people...

CAP REFORM BOOST.(Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The prospects for planting more woodland on farms in Scotland received a boost with an announcement from the Scottish Executive of special provisions to allow farmers who plant trees to retain CAP payments. Farmers who plant new woodlands...

'Pilot' farm grants.(Forestry Commission Scotland)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Scotland's Forestry Minister Lewis Macdonald has announced the establishment of three new pilot stewardship grants in 2005 to 'promote the sustainable management of farm woodlands'. The trials, run by Forestry Commission Scotland, will...

Cluster gathers momentum.(Central Scotland Forestry Cluster )
December 1, 2004... The establishment of regional industry clusters continues apace, with an excellent turnout of industry representatives at the most recent meeting of the Central Scotland Forestry Cluster (CSFC), on October 5 in Grangemouth. Following on from...

More power to FCS sales elbow.(Forestry Commission Scotland)
December 1, 2004... `We will give Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) greater flexibility in buying and selling land', Lewis Macdonald, deputy environment and rural development told the Scottish Parliament recently. Accepting all the recommendations contained in a...

Duke at RSFS conference.(Royal Scottish Forestry Society)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The Duke of Edinburgh recently called for a sensible balance between the users of woodland, woodland owners and the environment. He was speaking at a conference in Pitlochry, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Royal Scottish Forestry...

Promax goes higher and hire!(Promax Access Limited)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Evidence of the success of this year's APF International Forest Machinery Exhibition 2004 from an exhibitor's point of view comes from Promax Access Ltd who at close of play supplied three new machines to Elite Plant Hire (UK) Ltd. The...

FSC put Trust in Surrey.(Forest Stewardship Council)
December 1, 2004... 'The real benefit of FSC accreditation is that the public can be assured that we are managing the woodlands in a sustainable way and in accordance with a strict policy. By managing our woodland properly there is a knock-on beneficial effect for...

Agency fined #16000 for HSE breach.(Health and Safety Executive)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Berkshire Environment Agency (EA) was fined a total of #16000* at Reading (Berkshire) Magistrates' Court in October for breaches of health and safety legislation. The prosecution followed a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into...

Afan takes action.(Afan Forest Park)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... A six-year action plan which aims to turn Afan Forest Park, W Glamorgan into one of Wales's top outdoor activity centres is well under way, the Forestry Commission reports. The joint FC Wales, Neath Port Talbot CBC and Welsh Development Agency...

#3m more for grants.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The government has released another #3m from the kitty to fund private woodland grants in England this year. This was announced, following his meeting with key forestry sector representatives, by forestry minister Ben Bradshaw on October 28....

A double for David.(Institute of Chartered Foresters)(Promotion)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... During the same week in September, David Ogg learned that he had been promoted to a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Foresters as well as being made a member of the Society of Irish Foresters. 'Fellowship means a great deal to me and I...

Chirk changeover.(Chirk, Clwyd plant)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Thanks to #6m+ investment in new filter technology at its Chirk, Clwyd plant, wood-panel manufacturer Kronospan claims now to be the `UK's most sophisticated end-to-end manufacturing site for wood panel products'. News of the move represents...

Fast food key to reds' return.(Forestry Commission Wales)
December 1, 2004... Providing a constant food supply is at the heart of new plans for red squirrels living in Clocaenog forest in North Wales, as envisaged in a new Forestry Commission Wales (FCW) design plan. Unveiled at an autumn conference on the threatened...

Much more mulching.(West Bromwich Pallets)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Originally formed 21 years ago by Rod Gifford, West Bromwich Pallets - via its 1992-established Enviromulch offshoot - has secured #1.2m funding from regional development agency Advantage West Midlands to expand and create a wood-recyling...

ON LINE FOR GRANTS.(www.forestry.gov.uk/planting )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... `One of the fundamental principles behind this project has been to ensure areas of the website are consistent, easily navigable and straightforward to use', said Forestry Commission head of grants and licences Graham Cullen recently. He was...

Bryan to boost BSW expansion.(Bryan Crennell)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... With `wealth-of-experience' credentials gained in various retail companies, Bryan Crennell, 32 has been recruited by BSW Timber as group marketing manager to help it spearhead a new expansion drive. He will be based at the Cargo, Carlisle...

FSC first for BM TRADA.(Forest Stewardship Council)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Bord Na Mona, the Irish Peat Development Authority, has become the first client of BM TRADA Certification to achieve Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for garden products derived from wood and bark. The Irish organisation has, for...

Honouring long-term commitment.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The Royal Forestry Society's 'Long Service Awards' are presented to hands-on foresters and woodsmen who have worked for at least 30 years on the same estate or for the same employer. 'These medals are a tangible and public recognition of a...

Native oaks now susceptible.
December 1, 2004... Two cases of a new pathogen that could have a serious affect on Britain's 200 million oaks and other natives have been found in English oak in a wood near Redruth. The pathogen was first discovered in the Cornish wood earlier this year when it...

Looking mighty chipper!(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... John Thornley - who admits he has never won anything before - has good reason to smile as he is now the proud owner of a GreenMech Eco Arborist 15-23 woodchipper. John's name was chosen at random from the thousands who registered their details...

MARKET REPORT: Wood is the answer.
December 1, 2004... While sun-lovers might have reason to complain about the British weather this year, it seems to have had relatively little impact on the domestic timber industry, writes Martin Pearce. Bad weather in the first few months did mean that some...

Letter: High road on a high horse!(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... From Andy Currie 'Sir, I had only just settled in to my office chair to do some work on a complicated SFGS application when the phone rang and a voice I knew well said "Andy, have you seen the article in FBT re the APF show at Ragley, and...

Letter: Key to investment.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... From B.T. Gamble 'Sir, Your leader writer (October 2004, p2) concludes that the returns from UK Forestry are inadequate. The independently-prepared Investment Property Databank index has accurately tracked the returns from forestry since...

CONFEDERATION 'UP AND RUNNING'.(Confederation of Forest Industries)(Chief Executive Officer's appointment and resignation)(Column)
December 1, 2004... The Confederation of Forest Industries (ConFor) - what's it all about, what does it mean for us and where is it going? Welcome to ConFor's new regular column in FBT, written this month by Stuart Goodall. 'The forestry sector has come...

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN.
December 1, 2004... In the second of his occasional forays into alternative woodland lifestyles David Taylor looks at the increasing trend toward getting on your bike in a woodland setting, but does it pay? I have a magnificent print hanging on my office wall....

THE HAULIER AT APF 2004: In for the long haul.
December 1, 2004... Three days in September were not enough to see all that was on offer at the APF Exhibition and neither was our 21-page allocation last month to review it. So better late than never, it's over to our `Haulier' supplement editor Mike Forbes to...

Land Rover's Latest, GREATEST Discovery.
December 1, 2004... Having previously test-driven all new Land Rover Discovery models - along fast Caithness roads, off-road up sand dunes and down rivers, Eamonn Wall is better qualified than most to comment on the just- launched, all-new Discovery, on sale in...

NURSERY WORLD: THE COMPLETE TREE PACKAGE.
December 1, 2004... 'My father's interest in forestry, the suitability of our soils for tree production and the desire to diversify started me down this road' - Alastair Taylor. Thus Thorpe Trees was begun, by proprietor Alastair Taylor, growing broadleaf...

The GROWING group.(Johnsons Nursery Group)
December 1, 2004... High capital investment in the production systems to achieve large volumes of high quality plants with minimal waste, neatly sums up the philosophy of the Johnsons Nursery group. At its main site at Whixley, a few minutes from the A1, Mark...

FIREWOOD PROCESSING: KEEPING THE HOME FIRES BURNING.(www.lancashirelogs.com)
December 1, 2004... 'A glass of whisky, a gentle CD in the background and the warm crackle of a log fire are the balms which soothe away the stresses of the modern world. We know it and so does a large part of the UK as the winter advances. Booze sells, CDs sell...

HALF A CENTURY OF EXPERIENCE.(Caledonian Forestry Ltd)(Palax Power wood cutting machinery)
December 1, 2004... Teras Takomo of Finland manufacturers of the Palax firewood processors are now celebrating their 50th year in the production of agricultural and firewood processor machinery. It was in the early 80s when they took the step towards firewood...

LOGGING A FULL WEEK IN LANCS.(Jas P Wilson Ltd)(www.jaspwilson.co.uk)
December 1, 2004... `My latest toy has provided the answer to my problems'. Nigel Cunliffe was referring to his newly-acquired (from distributor Jas P Wilson*) Posch Autocut 700 firewood processor. He was speaking in the impressively tidy yard - no mud, no...

'FASTER, EASIER, CHEAPER'.(Hydrocut Ltd)(www.hydrocut.co.uk)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Hydrocut* is the leading UK manufacturer of screw-type log splitters, hydraulic post pointing systems and circular saw attachments for tractor-mounted hedge cutters. 'We have over 25 years' experience in designing equipment to make these...

FUELWOOD TO THE FIRE.(Fuelwood Ltd)(www.fuelwood.co.uk)(Japa firewood processing machinery)
December 1, 2004... Specialising in small-scale forestry machinery with a particular emphasis of adding value to timber Fuelwood* offer a wide range of firewood processing machines including those of their own design and manufacture. A full range of Japa...

AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVES.(Affordable Log Splitters Ltd)(www.logsplittersuk.co.uk)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Selling directly to the end-user and dealer, Affordable Log Splitters Ltd* have been established for over five years. Horizontal and vertical machines are available with splitting forces from 6-30t, powered by either 220 volt/380 volt electric,...

VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL USE.(Flexi-Farm)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Flexi-Farm* produces a range of logsplitters - trailed or tractor- mounted - which can be used at any location in horizontal or vertical mode. In addition they have 20 tonnes of splitting power to deal with larger sizes of wood. They come...

WHERE LARGE MEANS JUST THAT!(M Large Tree Services Ltd)(www.largetreeservices.co.uk)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The most recent addition to the range of distributors M Large Tree Services Ltd* (MLTS) is the Hakki Pilke `Big X47'. Using a 59cm harvester bar to crosscut up to 18in diameter, it features a 17 tonne capacity logsplitter with an automatic,...

MARSHALLING RESOURCES.(Marshall Agricultural Engineering)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Marshall Agricultural Engineering* offer a wide range of firewood- producing equipment and, since APF 2004, machines have been selling well, according to Allan Marshall. These include the Binderberger horizontal and vertical splitters from...

THREE OF A KIND.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Ryetec* logsplitters come in three basic ranges - Junior, Senior and Maxi. Junior offers 5.5 to 8 tonne splitting force, ideal for domestic and semi-professional use. Robust and with high quality hydraulic components, Juniors have large...

A MORE THAN SATISFIED CUSTOMER.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... 'With ever-rising costs there comes a need for continual improvements in efficiency. During the last two years my firewood business has been improved immensely by the addition of a Bilke firewood processor.' So says an impressed west...

GETTING THE WOOD - HEATING HABIT.(Ampleforth College)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... 'Green' energy through short rotation coppice and round wood timber has turned the clock back two centuries to the self-sufficiency of Benedictine Monks for students of Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire. The students in Fairfax House,...