Forestry & British Timber articles from October 2005

Forestry & British Timber archives from October 2005

KATRINA KICK-START FOR UK BIO-ENERGY?
October 12, 2005... The eminent 20th-century economist J. K. Galbraith, the Tilhill Timber Bulletin reminds us, once remarked that, when it comes to predicting the future, `there are those who don't know and there are those who don't know they don't know'. ...

Crieff `s job creation.
October 12, 2005... Crieff, Perthshire woodland and timber management specialists RTS Ltd announce the arrival of two new staff members: Cameron Gillies and Ross Kennedy, the former in the role of woodland manager and the latter as a member of its harvesting and...

POSITIVE NEWS FROM DRAX.
October 12, 2005... Over the last six months, wood-derived biomass fuel, including short rotation coppice (SRC) willow, has been bought, processed and supplied to Drax Power Limited by Renewable Fuels as part of Drax Power's comprehensive alternative fuels...

PLM acquired.(by Amro)(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... PLM Power Products Lid*, established for 20 years as a distributor of high quality garden machinery and equipment have now been acquired by Amro - the holding company of a distribution group based in Devon. PLM distribute exclusively in the...

Balancing conservation.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Work on sustainable wood-fuel schemes, including a kiln at Capel, Surrey for seasoned wood sales, is one project to benefit from funding by the Countryside Agency (CA) which is giving about #1m extra to the most scenic parts of south-east...

Jones in the USA.
October 12, 2005... A $16 million deal means that a leading Scottish timber company's international arm is set to play a major role in keeping America's extensive rail network running smoothly. Larbert-based James Jones & Sons, Scotland's leading sawmilling...

Forest walks cut stress.
October 12, 2005... Grants totalling #75000 have been awarded by the Forestry Commission to seven projects in the West Midlands `to get more people to lead healthier lifestyles'. Part of the FC's new `Active woods health push' and backed by the British Heart...

Forest research - European-style.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... On July 1, the Forestry Commission and Scottish Enterprise - both funders of UK forestry research - became partners in the international WoodWisdom-Net (WWN) project with the aim of fostering a more strategic approach to this subject among...

Another string to BE's bow.(B.E. Recycling Ltd )(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... UK and European distributor for Bandit woodchippers B.E. Recycling Ltd recently achieved ISO 90001:2000 accreditation. The company handles chippers ranging from 6-24in and shredders including the Beast 2680, 3680, 4680 and 5680 machines along...

New life for old woods.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Another #1m of Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) funds are to be added to the #3.5m already allocated to the `Woods in and around towns' (WIAT) challenge fund. This was announced recently by Scottish forestry minister Rhona Brankin to...

Facelift buys British.(Facelift Access Hire)(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Earlier this year Facelift Access Hire bought a British-built machine from manufacturer Ascendant Access Ltd; pleased with its performance - in the words of its MD Gordon Leicester - Facelift has ordered another ten new machines from the same...

To chair ConFor.
October 12, 2005... Tony Willis, managing director of Euroforest Ltd, Britain's largest independent timber harvesting and marketing company is new chairman of the Confederation of Forest Industries UK Ltd (ConFor). Mr Willis replaces Tom A. Bruce-Jones CBE who has...

GLENDALE ACQUIRES COBLANDS.(Parkwood Holdings plc)
October 12, 2005... 'The acquisition of Coblands is a strategic purchase that complements our portfolio of green services and products'. Tony Hewitt, Chairman and Chief Executive of Parkwood Holdings plc was commenting on the acquisition by its Glendale division...

`Fit for a king'.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Due to open in spring 2006, the new Forestry Commission Wales (FCW) visitor centre at Coed y Brenin - `The king's forest' - is now taking shape. Spectacularly sited, the circular, three-storey building boasts extensive views down the river...

Scots SRC grant change.('Short-rotation coppice )(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... The Scottish Executive's grant aid for farmers to establish short- rotation coppice willow or poplar as an energy crop is to be brought into line with the equivalent grant in England, subject to approval by the European Commission. Currently...

BEETLE WATCH.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Following separate findings of the Citrus longhorn beetle in imported Chinese maple trees (Acers) in Britain - one in Lancashire and others in the south of England - the Forestry Commission and DEFRA are asking people to look out for them. The...

Treefest in the City.
October 12, 2005... Some 6000 people visited this year's Aberdeen Treefest at the centrally- located Duthie Park making it the most successful such event yet. Over 40 exhibitors showed off a wide range of hands-on activities, demonstrations, wooden crafts and...

Aberdeen bonding breakthrough.
October 12, 2005... `If the forestry industry is to survive and prosper, a new and non- toxic bonding system has to be rapidly developed', said Professor Fred Glasser of Aberdeen University. He was speaking after the announcement of a `new, eco-friendly technology...

Welsh woods pass `green' light.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Confirmation that Forestry Commission Wales (FCW) woodlands continued to meet the highest international environmental, economic and social standards came recently when environment minister Carwyn Jones was presented with framed Forest...

Safety management reprise.
October 12, 2005... Due to overwhelming demand, Lancashire Woodlands Project is repeating its Tree Safety Management event held at the end of September. A second seminar, aimed at all those involved in tree and woodland management who wish to gain a basic...

On track for safety.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... `Rapidly growing unwanted vegetation, such as buddleia and other shrubs, can be unsightly as well as potentially dangerous if it is allowed to restrict access, obscure track signals, signs and the track itself', said Andrew Back, managing...

Biomass - Ireland's oil well?
October 12, 2005... `Our analysis clearly indicates that, as a nation, we are failing to harness our natural energy resources', said David Nevins, chairman of Ireland's National Council for Forest Research and Development (Coford) speaking in advance of a seminar...

Engineering: towards profitable forestry.
October 12, 2005... To avoid the plethora of forestry events this autumn The Forestry Engineering Group will present their annual Newton Rigg symposium on Thursday December 8. As always, the topic - 'Engineering - the path to profitable forestry' - is relevant to...

Tree tagging, Trovan-style.
October 12, 2005... `A miracle of miniature engineering', in the words of Trovan IDUK Ltd* (for over 20 years specialists in providing electronic identification) a transponder is the basis of technology that `will revolutionise the way in which our timber is...

Ranger acquire Teupen.(cranes)(Ranger Equipment)(Teupen)(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Chesterfield, Derbyshire-based Ranger Equipment has been appointed as the exclusive UK dealer for the Teupen range of tracked access platforms. Based in Germany, Teupen pioneered platforms mounted onto tracked undercarriages. It...

Soils reveal global warming paradox.
October 12, 2005... Forests may not be able to slow down global warming as effectively as previously thought due to rising Carbon Dioxide levels according to new research published in September in the journal 'Science'. The research by a team of UK-based...

HOW HARDWOODS MAKE THE GRADE.
October 12, 2005... `Many hardwood sawmillers were operating their own, in-house visual grading systems for their products but we recognised that this could be confusing for customers'. With that message, Forestry Commission Scotland business development adviser...

Dan's the wood fuel man!
October 12, 2005... Former naval officer Daniel Gates, now with his feet firmly on terra firma, has just started work as a woodfuel information officer for Forestry Commission Scotland, helping to get the emerging wood-fuel industry on to its feet in eastern...

For services to forestry.
October 12, 2005... From coppicing to creation and management of butterfly habitat, Dick Hoare's professional career reflects the way in which woodland styles have changed over the years. For services to forestry, Dick - who works from Tilhill's south-east England...

Adding value to sawn timber.
October 12, 2005... With from four to 20m3 capacities, the modular kiln system launched by Wood-Mizer UK Ltd* (W-M) enables operators of its band sawmills to add value to their sawn timber by curing it themselves. The package, the company says, is designed to...

Key new FC post.(Rod Leslie)(Forestry Commission England)(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Forestry Commission England has appointed Rod Leslie to its new post of head of programmes. The group that he will lead comprises key advisers such as foresters, ecologists, landscape architects, social forestry advisers, environmental...

`Action, not words'.
October 12, 2005... Earlier this summer Tanarus joined Woodland Heritage on its annual field trip - this year to Wales - and found his time with the enthusiastic group to be an enjoyable, rewarding and stimulating experience. What's the difference, I got to...

The WRIGHT stuff!
October 12, 2005... It was a chance meeting in an Essex public house that led to the establishment of a family business - cricket bat maker J.S. Wright & Sons - that can now claim to be a leading exporter of British home- grown timber. Some 70% of production goes...

UKWAS `best way to go' for Chinese take-away.
October 12, 2005... When David Taylor, FBT's long-serving and indefatigable columnist returned recently from a business tour of China - where the emphasis of his discussions was on that rapidly-industrialising country's new experience of forest certification - he...

RECYCLING FEATURE: AIR today - gone tomorrow!
October 12, 2005... Here at FBT, we try to get out and about as often as possible to keep in touch with what's going on in the world of forestry and arb. Occasionally, we have a ring around to see if anything new is on the scene and if we hear about something we...

Shredding and screening.
October 12, 2005... Latest additions to the Co Tyrone, NI-based Powerscreen International* recycling equiipment range - designed for large-volume processing of a wide range of waste materials - are the Powershredder 2400 and the Galaxy 933 Trommel. The former, the...

For boardmills' tighter specs.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... `The Firstgrade screen has enabled us to produce exactly what the boardmills want, in one hit'. Mark Glover of H&M. Glover Recycling of Andover, Hampshire was commenting on his experience of Framlingham, Suffolk-based Firstgrade Recycling...

Double Doppstadt in compost production.
October 12, 2005... Nutramulch UK Limited, begun some 14 years ago by Robert Lewis (managing director) and Phil White (operations director) both of whom come from farming backgrounds processes wood and green waste raw materials into agricultural and landscaping...

In the belly of the Beast!
October 12, 2005... Latest Bandit 3680 Beast Recycler has been upgraded to further improve its performance. Built by Bandit Industries Inc - and sold here through BE Recycling* - the machines are now the market leader in the USA and have a 30% share in the UK...

For High speed shredding.
October 12, 2005... Eurogreen* a family-run company based in West Sussex are the UK distributors and service agents for Willibald who are not a new company, but their new range of MZA high speed shredders are gaining a formidable reputation amongst large scale...

The `right to light'.
October 12, 2005... Measurement Devices Ltd (MDL)*, the UK's largest manufacturer and supplier of laser systems is now assisting councils with the government's new bill on `the right to light'. MDL launched the world's first all-in-one height distance measuring...

CHANGE DETECTION - unravelling the truth with remote sensing.
October 12, 2005... In the context of the recent ForestSAT conference held in Boris (Sweden) in June 2005, Ed Wallington, Genevieve Patenaude, Pete Watt and Juan Suarez* highlight the potential for developing operational applications for monitoring changes based...

CHAINSAWS: Aussie cricketer takes Gold!
October 12, 2005... As part of Living Heritage's Sandringham Wood Festival held over the weekend of September 16-17, a new English Open Chainsaw Carving champion was crowned... John Brady, an Australian carver set about putting the Australian's Ashes loss...

Working on the chain gang.
October 12, 2005... Small detail - big difference! Stihl* has extended its range of 'Comfort' saw chain: reducing chainsaw vibration by up to 40% Who would think that millimetres less metal could make a major difference to a chainsaw? Stihl would. The only...

Latest Husky.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... 'High power and rapid acceleration in combination with superior ergonomics, low vibration levels and a slim body to ensure both effectiveness and less effort' is how Husqvarna describes the latest additions to its chainsaw range. 'The...

Powerful and robust.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Latest saw from Stihl* - the MS 650 - comes in at the top end of the pro market. High power (4.8 kW), impressive torque and remarkable lugging performance, make this an ideal machine for harvesting, logging and thinning big timber as well as...

Pocket manual for chainsaw users.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... Oregon Cutting Systems, world-leading source for chainsaw cutting attachments and information on the selection, safe use and maintenance of cutting chains, guide bars and sprockets for chainsaws covers all of these subjects its pocket-size...

Versatile choice.
October 12, 2005... Efco offer 14 saw models through Emak UK* ranging from a 32cc top handled model for arborists to the 99cc heavy-duty saw for the pro. Most popular in the range is the 136 which is engineered to reduce maintenance and make it easy to use...

SAC revamps skills training course.
October 12, 2005... SAC's Forestry Certificate in Arboriculture (level 2) course has been restructured to fit the changing needs of the industry, and has now been approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The level 2 course is the first stage in...

New easy start top handle.(Brief Article)
October 12, 2005... The very latest Echo top handle saws include the benchmark CS-350TES and the CS-2600ES; both saws feature 'Easy Start', for effortless starting. The 350-TES is a light and well-balanced saw, weighing just 3.4kg while providing all the power of...

Floodplain woodland branches out.
October 12, 2005... It is not every day that a Scottish river grows by 750 metres. But participants at a recent seminar in Maryburgh in Ross-shire learned how the River Conon did just that when a dry river channel was brought to life again. The seminar was...