Regional contacts

Forestry Commission Research Agency
Gary Kerr ()

Small Woods Association LBG
Ian Baker ()

Rural Development Initiatives Ltd
Will Richardson ()

Read the feature in SIMWOOD's December 2015 newsletter

Find out about:

• SIMWOOD's work in the region
• the Regional Learning Lab
• the two pilot projects

07.03.2017

Making Woodlands Work, Woodfuel Barn, High Spen, Tyne and Wear

07.2015

Exhibition at Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate

20.11.2014

Presentation to National Wood Heat Conference, Newcastle

23.10.2014

SIMWOOD Forestry Sector Stakeholder meeting, Teesside University- Darlington Campus
More information

27.09.2014

Exhibition at Northumberland Forestry and Firewood Fair

05.03.2014

SIMWOOD presentation to Northwoods and Yorwoods Steering Group

04.2017

Making Woodlands Work in Yorkshire and the North East
Bark - News and Views from Forestry Commission England

06.2016

Mobilising the Timber Resource
Forestry Journal 06/16

12.2015

Read about SIMWOOD's promotion at the Great Yorkshire Show in July 2015.

Specific situation

• Interesting contrast in ownership between Yorkshire (78% privately owned forests) and NE England where it is much lower (49%).
• Many privately owned forests are broadleaved, small, diverse and overstocked because of limited or no thinning activity for many decades.
• Forests are not yet managed to provide any forest functions, although they are used for production (wood, woodfuel), recreation, biodiversity, protection of water supplies.

Main challenges

• Fragmented ownership, lack of professional organisation of forest owners.
• Methods of harvesting and extraction at a range of scales, primarily small scale to identify most economic and environmentally benign methods.