News

Owen Patterson announced the governments 'ash management plan' on Tuesday 26 March 2013. Under the plan, the government will provide grant aid to landowners in England for the removal and replanting of areas of infected ash in high priority areas. This includes Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.

The government’s ash management plan can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13936-chalara-management-plan-201303.pdf.

Current approaches to deer management are failing to control a serious and growing problem, according to new research by the University of East Anglia.

In the absence of natural predators, deer populations are continuing to expand - causing a serious threat to woodland biodiversity, as well as road traffic accidents and crop damage, the report, published today (Thursday 03 March 2013) in the Journal of Wildlife Management, shows.

For more information click on the link below.

http://www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/2013/March/deer-cull-research

Confor have just published a major report which highlights the importance of government support for the private forestry sector to respond to tree disease. Around 97% of woodland ash and 61% of pine (Corsican, lodgepole and Scots) is in non-state ownership. The report, commissioned by Confor, considers the potential financial and other impacts of these two important tree diseases, with context, costs, benefits and recommended actions.

For more details click the link: http://www.confor.org.uk/NewsAndEvents/News.aspx?pid=23&id=1426

A one day conference with the above title is to be held at Ludlow Racecourse Tuesday 16th April 2013, 9.30am - 4.00pm. The conference is being organised jointly by Heartwoods, Confor and the ICF.

Andrew Bronwin of Andrew Bronwin & Co Ltd will giving a presentation at the conference on 'Current Timber Market Trends and Prices'.

For further details go to the www.heartwoods.co.uk.

A Forestry Commission video showing the symptoms of the disease in the winter can be found at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara#Symptoms

The Forestry Commission have updated their advice and guidance managing the management of ash in woodlands and the wider environment.  Click on the link below:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-92gefh

For the latest view on the disease click on the below.

Click here for more information on Ash dieback update 2

Chalara dieback of ash is a serious disease of ash trees caused by a fungus called Chalara fraxinea (C. fraxinea) has recently been discovered in new plantings and mature woodland in the UK.

For further information click on the following link: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara

There is an excellent video about spotting symptoms in the field at: http://youtu.be/8sI7hgFZ-4g

Fera have produced a video giveing a brief history of the disease at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf8fll_DWOM

For the latest information on this disease and its implications for forestry in the UK please click on this link www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-8EJKP4

The Forestry Commission have produced a one-stop shop update report which can be accessed at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-8EJKP4

There is also a good video showing the symptoms in Japanese larch trees at: http://youtu.be/S22j-mvRYGY

Confor has responded with disappointment at the lack of commercial forestry and business expertise amongst the newly appointed ten non-executive directors of Natural Resource Wales. This is despite several candidates from the industry. Natural Resource Wales is the new regulatory and forestry management body for Wales and will bring together the functions of the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission Wales from 01 April 2013.

For Confor's response in full click on: http://www.confor.org.uk/WhatsHappening/Default.aspx?pid=462

This highly destructive disease has been found in larch trees in the south east of England for the first time. This is a worrying development as this is the first time the disease has been recorded so far east in larch. To date the disease has been affecting trees in the wetter western parts of Great Britain.

For more information click on the following link: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/AllByUNID/54E43E8BA6E51BB380257A700031A6D0

Appointment of Chair for Wales' new natural resources body

Environment Minister, John Griffiths, has announced the appointment of Professor Peter Matthews as Chair of the Welsh Government’s new body for managing natural resources in Wales. The appointment will take effect from 01 August 2012.

The new single body will bring together the functions of the Countryside Council for Wales, the Environment Agency Wales and the Forestry Commission Wales.

For more information go to: http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/environmentandcountryside/2012/120801appointmentofchair/?lang=en

New woodland that delivers key national priorities will receive £4,800 per hectare for broadleaves and £4,200 per hectare for conifers. These priorities are water management, new native woodland, the replacement of productive plantations lost due to habitat restoration and permissive access. New woodland delivering other priorities will receive £3,800 per hectare for broadleaves and £3,200 per hectare for conifers. These priorities are new productive woodland and new woodlands near people.

For further information on establishing new woodland and the grants available please contact info@bronwin.co.uk.

Details of the new grant rates are available at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6dcegu

In Wales the Welsh Government is promoting new woodland creation in order to improve the country's carbon foot print. Planting grants are available up to £3500 per hectare and annual payments of £300 per hectare per year for 15 years. For more information contact Andrew Bronwin and Co or sclick on the following link:  www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6J2GXD

The Welsh Government has announced the rates of grant for their new Galstir Woodland Management scheme.

If you are interested in the scheme and would like more information please contact us via the following link: http://www.bronwin.co.uk/contact.aspx.

Information about the scheme can also be found on the Welsh Government website at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/farmingandcountryside/farming/glastirhome/glastirwoodlandelement/docswoodland/?lang=en

The Welsh Government has recently launched its Glastir Woodland Management scheme. This forestry grant scheme replaces the woodland/forestry management element of the now closed Better Woodlands for Wales scheme.

The objective of the current scheme is primarily aimed at improving the biodiversity within the woodland.  Welsh Government is being encouraged to support commercial activities within woodland but it is unlikely this objective will be met until the new Rural Development Plan is launched in 2014.

To help deliver the Glastir objectives grants are available for:

·         Thinning

·         Restocking

·         Infrastructure, e.g. tracks and timber loading areas

·         Boundary work, e.g. stock fencing

·         Vegetation management

·         Protected and priority species

·         Pest control

·         Public access

Expressions of Interest to enter the scheme must be submitted by the 30^th March 2012. If you are interested in the scheme and would like more information please contact us via the following link: http://www.bronwin.co.uk/contact.aspx.

Information about the scheme can also be found on the Welsh Government website at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/farmingandcountryside/farming/glastirhome/glastirwoodlandelement/?lang=en.