June 08 

Welcome to this month's E-News.

Tree safety is certainly hitting the headlines. The draft BSI Standard on tree inspection, released this month, met with media criticism and such was the interest that ICF Executive Director Shireen Chambers was interviewed live on the Radio 2 Jeremy Vine show. The draft is out for consultation and we urge you to respond on this important issue (see Consultations).  

Please forward your E-News to any colleagues that you think may be interested in receiving it and don't forget to add icf@charteredforesters.org to your address book so you don't miss any issues.  

And, as always, please do use the ICF Members' Area Discussion Forum to exchange views with fellow members or alternatively email ICF.

shortcut to sections - click on headings below:

ICF News | General News | Developments

Consultations  | Events & Training

ICF celebrates Chartered Arboriculturist
ICF has received formal approval from The Privy Council to change its bylaws to include the option of members calling themselves a Chartered Forester or a Chartered Arboriculturist. The move reflects the Institute's commitment to supporting the specialisation of an increasing number of its members. 

Places available for Poland Study Tour 
ICF Wales member Hugh Wheelden has a couple of places available for their study tour to Poland on 7th to 12th of September. The programme will look at silvicultural methods in both production and conservation forests in the country. More

ICF National Study Tour
Bookings for this year's Study Tour based at Ashby-de-la-Zouch on 16th-17th October (with an introducton on the evening of 15th October) will be taken from 14th July. To pre-register a place email Allison Lock.  

ICF Council news
The ICF Council met on 17th June. Business discussed included possible new membership categories and revision of the use of the ICF logo. Minutes of the previous Council meetings are in the Members' Area of the website.  

Vacancies 
Check the ICF Members' Area for the latest job vacancies. 

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Wales states its case for forestry in Europe
A blueprint for the future of forestry across Europe has been presented to the European Union's all powerful Agriculture and Rural Affairs department by an international delegation from Wales.
Robinwood, the Forestry Commission Wales European project which aims to give rural Europe a new future, played a key role in drawing up recommendations for the sector in its final five-nation report. Project partners - Wales, Italy, Germany, Slovakia and Spain - studied key issues on forest management, wood energy and hydrology, identifying measures that can help Europe's forests play an even greater role in the rural economy. The Robinwood team points to the need for a holistic approach incorporating the multiple benefits of forestry.  More

Pesticide users urged to consult new EU legislation
Users need to check new EU rules regarding chemical control and pre-register their use or face being forced to halt their activities. Between 1 June and 1 December, businesses can register in advance the chemicals they make or import with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki. Failing to do so could force businesses to stop manufacturing or importing substances until they are registered. There is also growing concern about potentially devastating changes to pesticide use as the European Commission (EC) and European Parliament try to come to a final decision on new proposals. Read the report by the Pesticides Safety Directorate. More

Scientists prove CO² delays autumn 
The process of leaves turning brown later each year has in the past been put down to global warming. However, scientists at the University of Southampton have discovered that although there is a connection between an increase in temperature and earlier spring leaves, the delay in autumn colour changes is caused by a rise in the levels of CO². Their findings came after two forest experiments were undertaken in which popular trees in separate plots were exposed to either ambient or elevated levels of CO² from planting to maturity. The trees in the latter category retained their leaves longer. More

Statistics on woodland area, planting and re-stocking now out    
The latest National Statistics from the Forestry Commission show that nearly half of the United Kingdom's woodland is certified as being sustainable and well managed, including all woodland managed by the Commission and the Forest Service in Northern Ireland.
The figures on woodland area, planting and restocking (replanting after harvesting) were released by the Forestry Commission on 12 June according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority. They contain provisional UK statistics for the year to March 2008. More

PEFC has moved 
The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) has relocated to new offices in Geneva, located at the World Trade Centre. More

How much timber is in the South West?
South West Woodland Renaissance (SWWR) have contracted Forest Research (FR) to discover how much timber the conifer woodlands of the South West will produce over the next 20 years. Forest Research will collect data from 125 woodland sites throughout Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall this summer. For more information contact Jez Ralph. MICFor.

Innovative Yan for Cumbrian Lake District 
Forestry Commission Chairman, Lord Clark of Windermere Commission, opened the Lake District's most innovative building for 50 years in June. 'The Yan' will provide new facilities for schools, community groups and other organisations at the Grizedale Forest Park. The Yan has been named after the Cumbrian dialect word for 'one', helping to add to the sense of place, which was an important objective for the new development. It is located at the start of the Ridding Wood Trail, an accessible trail which is home to many of the sculptures at Grizedale.

New appoints in England 
Graham Hunt is the new Chair of the Forestry Commission's Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) for the West Midlands. Graham was the Project Director for the Forest of Mercia Community Forest from its inception in 1989 until 2007. He is now a Community Partnership Officer for Staffordshire County Council.
Caroline Harrison MICFor has been appointed ConFor England Manager. Caroline will be known to many in the industry through her work for 10 years with Working Woodlands and a further 3 years at the Woodheat project. 

Welsh wood given boost 
The Welsh Assembly government is investing £250,000 in a project to turn poor quality timber from Wales into high-value joinery grade material. The initiative, part of the Heads of the Valley project, could add millions of pounds to the value of Welsh forests, as well as creating 20 new jobs in south Wales. A heat treatment kiln will form the heart of the scheme, formulated by director of BRE Wales and Woodknowledge Wales Nick Tune. Potential production sites are being investigated near Caerphilly with the new factory expected to be operational by Christmas.

Welsh Minister calls for forest changes
Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has outlined how forests in Wales need to change if they are to play a full role in tackling climate change and provide a vital economic boost for rural communities. The Minister highlighted key areas in which forests can contribute to the Wesh Assembly Government's commitments during a speech to delegates at the Forestry Commission Wales Climate Change conference in Cardiff in June.  

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Grants aid for new National Forest Scheme
The National Forest Company has launched its new Changing Landscapes Scheme (CLS) and is already generating interest from farmers and landowners.
CLS is unique to The National Forest and is designed to encourage the creation of woodland and wildlife habitats within the Forest's 200 square miles. The scheme applies to land covering one hectare and above with no upper limit.  Incorporating grant aid from the Forestry Commission through the England Woodland Grants Scheme (EWGS), it is one of the most generous woodland planting schemes in the country, covering all the costs involved in creating new landscapes that include woodland, encourage wildlife and create areas for people to walk and enjoy. More

Grants in Yorkshire 
Environmental charity, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) is offering grants and other assistance to landowners in the Nidderdale and Yorkshire Dales areas who are looking to create or restore native broadleaf woodlands. Anyone who would like more information about woodland planting, or who has land that might be suitable for such projects, is invited to contact Chris Lodge on 015242 51002 or email mailto: chris.lodge@ydmt.org.

Natural England needs tree survey consultants
Natural England is seeking up to 20 firms to manage heritage landscape casework including assessment of land, preparation of management plans, tree surveys, building surveys and access studies. The project will help Natural England assess advise whether land is eligible for conditional tax exemtion. The value of contracts will be £300,000 to £800,000. The deadline is 15 July. Contact Pamela Vines at Natural England on 01242 533376 or email Pamela. 

Funds available for Welsh forestry capital investment 
A Processing and Marketing Grant scheme is open to small and medium forestry business in Wales for capital investment and marketing. The scheme is part of the Welsh Assembly Government's Rural Development Plan. A guide and application documents are available.  More

Report goes with the flow
With news of floods throughout the UK hitting the headlines with increasing regularity, a new report highlighting the role that trees can play in water management is timely. Commissioned by the Woodland Trust, the report from Forest Research and Newcastle University, with funding from the Forestry Commission and input from the Environment Agency, shows that woodland creation in the right location can reduce pollution entering watercourses - by as much as 90 per cent in some cases - without putting additional strain on water resources. More 

New certification mandatory for Highways Agency contractors
Contractors including arboricultural and ecological works within Highways Agency contracts must obtain new certification by 1st August as part of the National Highways Sector Scheme (NHSS) 18 for the Environment and Landscape including Ecology. It reflects the requirements of ISO 9001 but with specific relevance to arboriculture, pesticide application and environmental management. UPM Tilhill has become the first company to achieve the registration under NHSS 18. More

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ICF members urged to respond to BSI consultation
ICF is part of the Tree Safety Group chaired by Sir Harry Studholme, which is actively seeking a sensible solution to the management of tree risk and public safety.  Independent of this group of industry professionals, the British Standards Institute has issued a consultation draft of BS 8516:2008, "Recommendations for tree safety inspection" and announced a deadline for comments of 31 July. The Tree Safety Group feels that this consultation is premature but is working with BSI to come to an industry agreement.
Executive Director Shireen Chambers said: "I urge all Members to review this document and to comment, copying me if possible. I'd also encourage you to use the Discussion zone in the Members' Area to share your views with myself and fellow members by 21 July.  I will respond on behalf of the ICF incorporating members' views. More

There's still time to join these consultations and surveys 
Forestry Commission England on 'Managing Ancient and Native Woodland - England Practice Guide'. Closing date: 22nd August . More
Coppice Survey of South East England: The survey will look at where coppice has been cut between 1st September 2007 and 31st August 2008. Email Debbie.

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Management course for foresters online 
Napier University's post graduate Timber Industry Management course in now available online for distance learning. This course is particularly suitable for forestry graduates. More 

Continuous cover forestry course in south east England 
Wood Net is running this course in the summer (date to be confirmed). Learn about the principles of continuous cover forestry applied to the unique woodlands of SE England and much more. Course includes a section on how to distinguish where CCF is appropriate and on working with site limitations. More

Lantra diploma plan
Lantra has developed a diploma in environmental and land-based studies, which will be available in some schools and colleges from 2009, and nationally in England in 2013. The advanced diploma is equivalent to 3.5 A-levels. More  

Chainsaw certificate overhaul delayed until 2009 
The proposed new structure for the NPIC Certificate of Competence in Chainsaw & Related Operations has been postponed from its expected launch date in September. This is to allow for the launch of Lantra's new treework National Occupational Standards. The overhaul will now come into force in 2009.

ICF Midlands Regional Group Meeting: Red Band Needle Blight, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, 1st July. More  
Trees - The Key to Climate Proofing our Cities: Royal Geographical Society, Hyde Park, London, 10th July. More
ICF Wales Regional Group Meeting: PAWS Restoration, Rheidol Valley, Ceredigion, 17th August. More
CLA Game Fair: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, 25th-27th July. More
Bat Conservation Trust Training Course: Arboriculture & Bats - A Guide for Practitioners, Margam Park FSC Centre, Glamorgan, 1st August. More
Hylobius Management Support System Training Day: Forestry Commission run course, Ae, Dumfries-shire, 4th August. More
Arboricultural Association Seminar: Trees in the Planning Process, New Lanark Mill Hotel, New Lanark, 14 August. More 

RFS July events: North West Midlands, Ashbourne, 2nd July; South East England, Doddington, 2nd July; North Wales AGM, Ruthin, 10th July; London, Tilbury Docks, 2nd July; South East Wales, Newbridge on Wye, 11th July; Gloucester, Hereford & Worecester, Ledbury, 12th July; Southern England, Frome, 15th July; Yorkshire, Richmond, 15th July; North West England, Cockermouth & Whitehaven, 17th July; North East England, Hexham & Castleside, 24th July; South West Wales, St Clear, 31st July. For details visit http://www.rfs.org.uk/

View full events list

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