Smiths Gore advises Forestry Commission on wood fuel supply chain

Rural real estate adviser Smiths Gore has been appointed by the Forestry Commission on its East Midlands Pathfinder Mapping project. The project's aim is to help set the strategy for wood fuel as an environmentally friendly alternative in the region.

Forestry already makes a significant contribution to the environment through natural carbon capture during the lifecycle of trees. The use of wood as a fuel only emits as much carbon as the tree has absorbed during its lifecycle. It's this carbon-lean quality that makes wood an important future fuel in the UK's mission to meet targets for renewable energy.

In the East Midlands, the Forestry Commission's wood fuel strategy aims to provide ongoing support for the sector with a particular focus on developing supply chains in three key geographic areas: the National Forest, North Northamptonshire; Sherwood Forest, North Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire coal fields.

Smiths Gore has been charged with contacting a variety of woodland owners, contractors, wood fuel supply firms and wood fuel users within these regions to assess current activity and identify the barriers and opportunities to the development of wood as a future fuel. Smiths Gore will analyse the results of the survey and make recommendations to the Forestry Commission on how the supply chain may be improved to maximise the use of wood as a fuel.

The project is being funded by the Forestry Commission and the East Midlands Development Agency. It is also supported by the National Farmers' Union, Country, Land and Business Association and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Jason Beedell, head of research for Smiths Gore said "We are delighted to have been entrusted with this key project and look forward to contributing to the development of this environmentally friendly sector"