Woodland Social Enterprise

[Lancstree]

I have been approached by a charity organization about assessing the viability of a social enterprise that would manage woodlands initially for woodfuel production with the aim of benefiting the local environment and community.

 

Is there anyone with experience in woodland management that could give ideas or advice on the strengths and limitations of this idea? The local council and county council has planted areas of woodland in the past that have never been managed and they have little idea of where all these sites are. There is quite a bit of work to be done on the assessment and I have offered my help with the project as I would like to see better management of our local woodlands for the benefit of the community.

 

What other potential income sources are there besides woodfuel? Some of the benefits to the community is that it would provide the opportunity for people to learn new skills, help the disadvantaged and hard to reach groups get involved in the environment and community and generally improve the landscape for the future.

 

There is also potential for mass planting which would be funded by the company that deals with waste in our area.

 

Any advice or ideas welcomed

[Charlieh]

i would look more down the route of value added products, such as woodland crafts if your involving communities, maybe get some green woodworkers in, charcoal burning, a mycologist etc, as it will be more socially inclusive you can run various weekend walks and talks, also not giving everybody the idea that the trees are a good source of income if they get a bowsaw!

 

There may be local funding for social inclusive projects, it may be worth regisitering for the free version of Business, Voluntary and Community sector grant information for the UK and Ireland | j4b.co.uk to see what funding sources are avialable in your area

 

Good luck sounds like a good idea

[Arborist Sites]

Contact Paul Bullimore at Lancs woodland project, he works at Burnley council..

 

If you need contact details pm me

 

We have consulted on similar projects and may be able to help with advice etc, again pm me and we can have a chat about it.

 

[Lancstree]

Thanks for both of your positive replies. I thought Paul Bullimore works for the woodland trust? I have a copy of the woodfuel inventory for burnley woodlands that was carried out by Robin Forestry Surveys, Cumbria. Are you a surveyor Arborist Sites?

 

We are of course considering all the value added products and opportunities to include a wide range of people in the community but there is a lot of thinning required and on these sites and there are new schools with woodchip burners in the area to supply. This income would then go back into the environment and community as well as building up the enterprise. Obviously there would be issues like machinery, wages, vehicles, and the like but there are grants out there.

 

I will be working with Hyndburn Prospects who I have just had a meeting with. It sounds really interesting so I'm keen to get involved and it would be even better if I could get a job out of it!

 

I found this which looks like a good model to study

 

http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/pdf/SERG_Hill_Holt_Wood_research_summary.pdf/$FILE/SERG_Hill_Holt_Wood_research_summary.pdf

 

I will forward the link concerning grants to my associate so thanks for that. Thanks again for the replies and you may hear from me in the near future.