Positive start to the new tree planting season

This is a very positive development,” commented Premier Woodlands’ managing director John Hetherington.

“The close of application date was specifically brought forward to the end of August. This has allowed site inspections to take place during the early autumn period.”

He added:“It is to be hoped that the FES adjudication panels can be selected and given the opportunity to meet during November.

“This should then allow “letters of offer” for tree planting grants to be issued to successful applicants at the beginning of December.

“The overriding priority is for Forest Service to provide landowners and contractors with the best possible opportunity to complete FES planting projects during the planting season within which they were initially agreed.”

John also confirmed that progress linked to the Small Woodland Grant Scheme continues apace.

“And this is further good news for the private forestry and woodland sectors,” he said.

Turning to the issue of Ash Dieback, the Premier Woodlands’ representative confirmed that many trees had succumbed to the disease this year.

“Older, larger trees represent a very significant health and safety risk. They can fall without warning within the confines of a farm, thereby representing a very serious threat to all the members of a farming family,” he explained.

“There is also a very significant public liability implication in the case of trees that overhang public roads or make up part of a road side hedge.

“Where trees fall in these locations, the respective landowner is totally liable for all damage caused.”

John continued:“I would strongly urge all landowners with Ash or any dead trees on their properties to have them professionally inspected and then felled.

“Upcoming winter storms may well blow over many trees that are affected with Ash Dieback. This may well happen without warning. However, the consequences could be catastrophic.”

Recent research has shown forestry and woodland areas are extremely important resources, in terms of their ability to sequester carbon.

However, a number of recent changes have been made to the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC). This is the quality assurance standard for woodland creation projects in the UK: it acts to generate independently verified carbon units.

John Hetherington takes up the story:“In essence, the code has been amended, with the amendments taking effect from next month, confirming the sequestration activity generated by a forest or woodland area only creates verified carbon units after the first 5 years. These amendments disproportionally disadvantage productive conifer woodland to the point it is very difficult to prove any “additionality” which rules out carbon unit verification.”

He added:“This development makes no sense on two fronts. First off, it is putting many people off from investing in new woodland creation: only new woodland creation is eligible for WCC registration in the first instance. Potential carbon units are created which become verified after 5 years. The value of these potential units is much less than the verified units.”

John Hetherington concluded: “The WCC amendments have served only to significantly reduce private sector investment in private forestry development.”

“This is an issuethat government must address as a matter of priority.”

Contact Premier Woodlands on (028) 7963 4236.