A sustained programme of improved woodland management across eastern England has been fuelled by demand for firewood. The Forestry Commission’s area director, Steve Scott, who is based in Thetford Forest, says the effects have been transformative.
After years of under-management and neglect, smaller blocks of woodland and plantations in the six eastern counties have been taken in hand by farmers and landowners.
While demand for wood fuel has been a big driver, hundreds of management plans have also been agreed in the past half a dozen years, according to the Forestry Commission’s area director. Steve Scott, based at Santon Downham, near Brandon, in the heart of Thetford Forest – the country’s largest lowland block of woodland – has seen a transformation. “In the past five years about 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) have come back into management. That’s quite a turning point in terms of our woodland heritage.
“I’ve worked in forestry for 30 years and the last five years have been the most significant that I’ve ever seen,” he added. “We’ve talked about the benefits of woodfuel for all of my career but it has now become a reality. And that’s largely a result of oil prices, just look at the increase in the number of wood-burning stoves.”
For the past quarter of a century and especially after radical taxation changes in the early 1980s effectively forced woodland owners to cease all forestry management, neglect and under-management became an increasing problem. Almost inevitably, overall quality both for wildlife and timber value suffered.
According to the latest assessment, Suffolk has 35,650ha of woodland and Essex 24,120ha. Officials at the Forestry Commission estimate that in Suffolk around 56% of the total area, which includes Forestry Commission woodland, is deemed to be “managed” - leaving almost 15,700ha or 37,680 acres as under-managed or in a neglected state. In Essex, only 38% is thought to be managed, leaving 14,950ha or 35,880 acres of woodland not in active management.
Mr Scott, who is the commission’s forest services director for the east and east Midlands, said that woodland or timber now has more value particularly because it has been driven by what’s happening in the firewood market. “There is now much more incentive to actually start doing some woodland management. And that’s very positive.”
“We are actively encouraging people to manage their woodlands because it is much better for wildlife and it brings in revenue and also timber.
“I think the increase in the amount of activity due to wood fuel is fantastic. We fully support that and the majority of that is being done legally and meeting all the standards with a licence etc. We’ve seen a step-change in these sort of activities in the six countries because of Wood Fuel East initiative, which we have been managing.”
But Mr Scott said that farmers and landowners, particularly those embarking on woodland management as a new venture or for the first time, needed to be aware of their legal responsibilities – and especially when it comes to felling trees. “If owners want to start managing their woodland properly, we would welcome that. Obviously, they’d need a felling licence. There’s no real reason why farmers shouldn’t be thinking about what might be an alternative income stream. But going back a stage, we would encourage them to achieve that with a management plan,” he added.
There was the possibility of some financial incentive, which could provide some professional advice, said Mr Scott, who has a ten-strong team covering the area from the south of Essex to the top of the Peak District with four expert Woodland Officers covering Suffolk and Essex.
The larger estates already have woodland management plans in place but there has been some concern in recent months about some often small-scale felling without licences, said Mr Scott. Typically these five-year management plans include arrangement for licensing of felling and even Forest Enterprise, the Commission’s commercial arm has to comply.
“We’ve seen more applications coming through and a significant rise in the number of felling licences. Typically in the East of England, we will have more than 400 a year in just the six countries,” he added.
If a farmer or landowner, say with five, 10 or 15 acres of woods, wanted to start harvesting trees and improve plantations, Mr Scott would strongly advise getting some advice because almost certainly a felling licence would be required. The law imposes restrictions on harvesting volumes.
“There are a number of exceptions to the need for a felling licence but it does get a bit complicated. Generally, if you want to fell trees, a licence is needed. There are exceptions a, for example, in a garden.
“You would need to prove that it is a garden; churchyards and certain types of designated open space also don’t need a licence,” said Mr Scott. But in the bulk of the rural countryside, a licence is needed to fell above a minimum amount of timber.
Technically, the limit is about two cu metric in a calendar quarter if that timber is sold. “If the timber is not being sold, it is five cubic metres in a calendar quarter,” he said. “Even taking trees for their own use for a wood burner, they need to be mindful of the five cu metric in a calendar quarter limit,” said Mr Scott, who heats his home using wood.
“That limit really doesn’t amount to a lot of timber, it could be a couple of significant trees and a mature beech could easily be two or three cubic metres. And if you fell it and sell it, you might be in breach of the licences. That’s why our message is simple: If you’re felling trees, contact the Forestry Commission. Clearly, if you don’t need a licence, we’ll tell you. Usually, we have an exchange of letters or emails, and that’s fine, you’re covered,” he added.
“If you need to fell, contact us and that applies even if you planted those trees yourself. If is in on private land, you still need a felling licence.”
Mr Scott said typically a wood-burner providing additional heat rather than central heating, would consume three or four cubic metres of timber per year. “I heat a three-bedroom cottage, only with wood, through a range and I burn in excess of 10 cu metres a year,” he added.
The penalties for breaking the law on felling trees could be quite severe, particular after successful prosecution, warned Mr Scott. “We have got a range of penalties at our disposal. At the very least, a landowner would be required to re-stock the ground at their own expense. We can enforce that without the requirement of going to court. If they go to court, and they are prosecuted, it is a criminal not a civil matter. It is not something that one should take lightly. We’ve teeth to back it up.”
He said that areas of concern includes landowners with development aspirations, who might be tempted to clear trees in advance of submitting planning applications. “But mostly it is the lack of knowledge that a felling licence is needed which to be obtained from the Forestry Commission.
The commission’s application process for felling, which was subject to an industry review a couple of years ago, has been designed to be as user-friendly as possible.
“In terms of the process itself, it is two sides of A4 and a map, which we provide for free. We can send the relevant forms or it can be done on line,” said Mr Scott.
SEPARATE TEXT BOX:
Essex. Total woodland area = 24,120ha (6.6% of the county; compares to 10% for whole of England). Of that 9170 ha (38%) is managed (as defined by FC) – so 14950ha (62%) is categorised as undermanaged. The Forestry Commission manages only 613 ha; the remainder is owned by other parts of the public sector, by charities or by private businesses including farmers.
Suffolk. Total woodland area = 35,650ha (9.4% of the county; compares to 10% for whole of England). Of that 19940 ha (56%) is managed (as defined by FC) – so 15700ha (44%) is categorised as undermanaged. The Forestry Commission manages 9255 ha; the remainder is owned by other parts of the public sector, by charities or by private businesses including farmers.
Applying for a felling licence is free.
Apply www.forestry.gov.uk/felling (Paper and online versions available).
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