Forestry & British Timber articles from December 2005

Forestry & British Timber archives from December 2005

EAGER BEAVER OR BELLY-FLOPPER?
December 1, 2005... The news that beavers have been released in a former gravel extraction lake in, of all places, Gloucestershire, was trumpeted with great glee by the national dailies. A species which certainly used to inhabit England, albeit 600 years ago, was...

`EXCITING PROSPECT': FORSCOT FINDINGS.
December 1, 2005... `This study demonstrates the benefits that the Forscot development will bring to the local, Scottish and UK economy. As well as creating over 6000 high value jobs, the operation will provide opportunities for a wide range of businesses and...

Norbury does it better.
December 1, 2005... 'Norbury Park Wood Products works to transform locally-produced wood into high-quality products, in distinctive and different designs from those that can be bought through the normal garden centres, while at the same time ensuring that the...

AIM boost for `new species'.(alternative investment market)
December 1, 2005... Accsys Technologies, parent company of Titan Wood (TW) - which produces `acetylated' wood - announced a E27m flotation on the alternative investment market (AIM) in late October. This specialist product, marketed as `Accoya', is claimed to...

SOPHIE REPLACES SUSAN.(National Forest Company)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The National Forest Company (NFC) has appointed Sophie Churchill to be its next Chief Executive. She will succeed Susan Bell who is due to retire from the Forest at the end of January next year. Sophie is currently chief executive of...

New timber transport man at ConFor.
December 1, 2005... Simon Armstrong has been appointed timber transport project manager for the Timber Transport Forum. He replaces Anne Angus who completed her contract at the end of last year. The Forum was established in 2000, covering England, Scotland and...

`A LITTLE SCARY - BUT INVIGORATING'.
December 1, 2005... Complete and ready for public use by Christmas, an innovative tree-top walk is a striking new feature of the Forestry Commission's (FC) Salcey Forest in Northamptonshire. Its opening came just one year after the River Nene Regional Park...

Dip Arb success.(Royal Forestry Society)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Twelve candidates were successful in the management exercise for the Royal Forestry Society's professional diploma in arboriculture held at Beaulieu Manor in the autumn. Twenty-two aspiring consultant arborists, reports RFS director Dr...

Saving energy, Fife fashion.
December 1, 2005... `In this building we can see and appreciate practical and attractive design that maximises the use of timber and timber products produced in Scotland'. Dr Bob McIntosh, Forestry Commission Scotland director, was commenting on an unusual new...

Tilhill's windfarm harvest.
December 1, 2005... UPM Tilhill's input into the creation of the UK's largest windfarm construction project has just been completed. The #1m contract, awarded by project managers AMEC on behalf of Scottish Power, saw UPM Tilhill's Central Scotland District carry...

Royal touch for Nelson plantings.
December 1, 2005... The Woodland Trust's Trafalgar Woods project was given a royal boost when his Royal Highness Prince Edward took part in a special tree- planting ceremony at Redburn Country Park, Holywood, NI. The Trust's project sees the creation of 33 new...

Woodland legacy.(Yorkshire Dales National Park)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... A new woodland is planned for the Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNP), thanks to a #23566 legacy left by regular visitor Miss Jean Staples of Doncaster when she died at the age of 69. The main part of the project will cost about #20000 for...

Power broker - Susan Bell, NF.(National Forest Company )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Chief executive of the National Forest Company since its inception in 1995, Susan Bell is featured among the top 20 of the people who wield the most influence over rural Britain, in a list published in Country Life in October. The magazine...

Return of the native.(Woodland Trust )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... `This work is an important step towards restoring Penycoed to its former native woodland cover'. Clare Morgan, who manages the wood for the Woodland Trust (WT), was commenting on the news that the conservation charity was thinning the...

BELLSBANK - A LESSON IN GOOD PRACTICE.
December 1, 2005... 'Much has changed over the last 10 years in forestry. Partnership and community working is very much at the heart of our work'. Scottish forestry minister Rhona Brankin was speaking at Bellsbank, Ayrshire where she launched a `Working in...

New CLA president looks forward.
December 1, 2005... David Fursdon, who lives in Devon where he runs a farming and tourism family business with his wife Catriona, has been elected president of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents landowners, land managers and rural...

James Hedges, top in H&S.(Greenwich Borough Council)(UPM Tilhill Safety Challenge 2005)(health and safety)
December 1, 2005... Greenwich Borough Council tree officer James Hedges won the UPM Tilhill Safety Challenge 2005 at the 39th Arboriculture Conference at Exeter, scooping the top prize of #500. The timber harvesting and forest management company had thrown down...

Cash boost for Sunart's oaks.
December 1, 2005... Scottish Forestry Minister Rhona Brankin has announced a #400,000 cash boost towards the upkeep of Sunart's famous Atlantic oakwoods on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Over the past 10 years there has been a tremendous amount of work by a...

Diesel has its chips!
December 1, 2005... There's nothing like the smell of fish and chips frying to whet one's appetite. But is that your local take away you smell or the passing of a Forestry Commission van? The Commission now has 160 vehicles using 'biodiesel', a diesel-like fuel...

Double honour for Pilton's restorer.
December 1, 2005... `It serves as a lesson for conservation work that where English oak was originally used there is no convincing argument for not following the same practice now'. This is a quotation from the announcement heralding Newbury, Berkshire company...

Letter: A sincere apology.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... From David Ogg 'Sir, The recent temporary suspension of my UK forest management certification scheme has caused me considerable personal embarrassment and has undoubtedly undermined my hard-earned credibility. I am now doing everything...

George Carruthers.(Obituary)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 1, 2005... 'Many in forestry and particularly harvesting will have known our "Technical Guru for Europe" George Carruthers, writes Alan Warburton, UK Managing Director Blount UK Ltd, Oregon Cutting Systems Division. 'It is with great sadness that I have...

WoodWISE: The view from the sharp end.
December 1, 2005... In which our monthly contracting contributor Nick Hilton of Woodwise Forestry* gets robbed once again! In the bleak midwinter frosty Nick made moan! And who can blame him? I was really hoping to be able to bring you a tale of joy and good...

Where Maurice's money went.
December 1, 2005... Twenty-two years ago, Maurice H. Sanders collapsed with an `odd cardiac problem' whilst felling a tree. The Royal Brompton Hospital (RBH) in London sorted it out in ten days, he recounts in his handsomely- illustrated `A Triumph of Cardiology...

Flowers of the forest - Scots-style.
December 1, 2005... With the growing interest in native woodland flora and wild flower meadows, Scotia Seeds* was established back in 1995 to supply this growing market with native Scottish wild flower seeds. Woodland architect Eamonn Wall recently visited the...

CHEVIOT - on the right course.
December 1, 2005... With the recent decline in forestry plantings due to the lack of funding available, many of the UK's nurseries have had to look elsewhere for revenue. Cell-grown specialist Cheviot Trees* in the Borders is no exception. The advantage it...

APF 2006 DIARY: Looking forward to Ragley.
December 1, 2005... All quiet on the western front - or just the calm before the storm? APF exhibition secretary Ian Millward* continues his APF 2006 Diary. By the time you read this we will have had our second site meeting. Bookings have continued to flow in...

BURNING ISSUES: Firewood suppliers `struggling to meet demand'.
December 1, 2005... Major fuel price hikes during the summer have impacted strongly on firewood suppliers throughout the country, comments Jas P. Wilson (JPW)*. The Dalbeattie, Dumfries-based company reports that demand had been so great, in some instances, that...

Spoilt for choice.
December 1, 2005... Ryetec* offer logsplitters in three basic ranges - Junior, Senior and Maxi. Ideal for domestic and semi-professional use, Junior offer from 5.5 to 8 tonne splitting force. Robust and with high quality hydraulic components, the Juniors have...

Flexible friends.
December 1, 2005... 'Common problems with logsplitters are: electric engines that can only be used near a power supply - which most woods don't have! Therefore you have to transport the logs to the splitter and also clear up the splitting rubbish from around the...

FUELWOOD to the fire.
December 1, 2005... Fuelwood* specialise in small-scale forestry machinery with a particular emphasis on adding value to timber and have an extensive range of firewood conversion machinery. A full range of Japa firewood processing machinery is available...

Traditional cutting tasks.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... 'We have over 25 years' experience in designing equipment to make these traditional wood cutting tasks safer, easier and faster with the resultant output benefits'. Speaker is David Mansfield of Hydrocut* the leading UK manufacturer of...

For processing and kindling.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Cleartrack Plant & Machinery* (CPM) offer three firewood processors, the SSA 310Z, 310EZ and SSM 250 Z Compact from BGU. The former two machines will take logs up to 30cm in diameter and up to 50cm long and split in two, four or six pieces...

Selling like hot cakes!
December 1, 2005... September 2005 saw the sale of the 34th Bilke firewood processor in the UK. Apart from speedy log cutting, these machines have been sold for uses as diverse as cutting demolition timber for a waste management company, breaking down wood...

Large and larger!(Large Tree Services Ltd)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... A recent addition to the range offered by distributors M Large Tree Services Ltd* is the Hakki Pilke 'Big X47' which uses a 59cm harvester bar to crosscut up to 18in diameter. It features a 17 tonne capacity logsplitter with an automatic...

What price progress?
December 1, 2005... The continuing skyward trend of oil prices should, by now, be making woodfuel economically, as well as environmentally, sustainable. The initial set-up costs of some of our woodfuel projects, however, continue to worry more than a few experts...

Marshalling the troops!
December 1, 2005... Marshall Agricultural Engineering* are UK distributors for the Binderbeger and Dalen ranges of firewood equipment. 'Binderberger offer a full range of firewood equipment with the majority of machines now being galvanised', commented Allan...

Red flag hoisted in northern England.
December 1, 2005... `This project is a fantastic example of a wide range of organisations uniting to deliver something that I know is close to the hearts of the people of northern England'. The comment, by Richard Pow, chair of Red Alert North England, was made at...

Diversification - the latest fashion.
December 1, 2005... `The products of much of British forestry are changing to outputs that are less tangible than a pile of sawlogs but still having a great potential for income', writes Martin Clark, a former joint head of the National School of Forestry (Newton...