November 09 

Welcome to this month's E-news.

Please forward your copy to your colleagues and encourage them to sign up for their own copy on the ICF website. View archived issues of E-news on the ICF website under Publications and Services, send your views on ICF E-news to Allison Lock and use the ICF Members' Area Discussion Forum to exchange views with fellow members.

shortcut to sections - click on headings below:

ICF News | General News | Developments, Grants & Opportunities 

Consultations  | Events & Training

Chartered members take on new challenges 
Simon Hodge FICFor (left), Forestry Commission Scotland Head of Policy, takes over as Chief Executive Officer for Forest Enterprise Scotland next month.
Pat Hunter Blair FICFor now Chairs the South of Scotland Forestry Forum, advisors to FC Scotland on forestry policy and practice for the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway through to Ayrshire.
Woodland Consultant Donald McPhillimy MICFor joins Pat on the Forum.

Subscription direct debit reminder
Don't forget to post your direct debit form to Ingrid Palmer at ICF to move to a convenient way to pay your membership or to spread the cost. Download the Direct Debit Form 

Funky venue for ICF Conference Dinner 
The Baltic, Newcastle's contemporary art space overlooking The Tyne, will host ICF's Conference Dinner on 28 April. Contact Allison Lock for promotional opportunities. 

Vacancies  
Visit the Members' Area of the ICF website for following job vacancy:  

Senior Consultant Forestry, £30-40K, Clackmannanshire

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Forest thrives on halo technique
Veteran Oak Trees in Savernake Forest have been given a 'halo' of light by reducing the number of younger trees growing in close proximity aiding growth while still affording them shelter from surrounding trees. Read More 

Welsh gloves off to fight deadly oak fungi
As the Forestry Commission and the National Trust race to eradicate the Sudden Oak Death disease from Colby Woodland Gardens, Carmarthenshire, FC's Wales Better Woodlands for Wales scheme confirmed extra funds for other high risk woodlands. Read More

Red alert at Westonbirt 
Forestry Commission research reveals that Westonbirt Arboretum's world-famous collection of Japanese maples are under real threat and that sustained action to counter climate change is urgent. Read More


Footfall rises at National Forest show 
5,500 visitors - an increase of 2,000 - came to this year's National Forest Wood Fair at Beacon Hill Country Park. Good reasond to diary Wood Fair 2010 on Monday 30 August. Read More

Swede cuts gas in Wales   
The Silvicultural Operations team at FC Wales, who prepare the ground after felling, has cut its fleet fuel useage by 5% - 320kg of CO2 a week or 1,500 miles in a small diesel car - thanks to advice from visiting Swedish engineer Ivar Amcoff. Read More

Dark sky at night, FC's delight 
Forestry Commission Scotland has applied for Galloway Forest Park to be recognised as the first 'dark sky park' outside the USA and become one of only four in the world. Read More

You need to be thick skinned to store oil in Scotland
From 1 April, all oil stored in Scotland must be retained in a container that either has some form of 110 per cent second 'skin' or with a bund. Rules differ slightly in England and Wales. Read More

Bury's getting a £3.8m community woodland
Work has started on improving Waterdale and Drinkwater Parks with the 71ha Bury woodland as part of one of the country's biggest green regeneration programmes thanks to Newlands, the Forestry Commission and Northwest Regional Development Agency. Read More

New partnership manager at Lantra
Ros Burnley is Lantra's new Trees and Timber UK Partnership Manager. Ros joined the sector skills council last year and takes over her new role from Claire Glaister MICFor.

Foresters match-making in eastern Scotland
Drier summers in eastern Scotland will call for matching tree species to the most suitable planting sites concludes the FC Research Note by Dr Sarah Green and Duncan Ray. Read More 

Big boys toys for FC in Cumbria
At the Forestry Commission estate at Whinlatter Forest a Skyline cable crane is being used to clear an area of SSSI woodland. It is designed to extract trees from difficult, steep sites that other machinery cannot travel along. Read More

Reading matters...  
Practical techniques for surveying squirrels - Forestry Commission Practice Note describing how to plan a survey and giving guidance on methods to use. Read More
Scots Pine Timber Quality Assessment Methods - Forestry Commission Research Note reports on the developments in this area. Read More  
Growing Places (FR Social & Economic Research Group newsletter) - Autumn 09 is available from Christine Woods. 
Planted Forests - uses, impacts and sustainability - Edited by Prof. Julian Evans FICFor. Reviewed in December's Chartered Forester. CABI, 9781845935641, £75. Read More
UNECE/FAO Forest Products annual Market Review 2008-2009 - General and statistical information from over 40 UNECE countries. Read More
Biofuels: production, application and development, A Scragg - Now available in paperback from CABI, 9781845935924, £39.99. 10% discount for online orders. Read More
The Carrifran Wildwood Story by Myrtle & Philip Ashmole - Chronicles the first ten years of creating from scratch a large wildwood in a bare and degraded Scottish Borders valley.  Borders Forest Trust (& proceeds to), ISBN 9780953434640, £15. Read More
Review of Forestry Carbon Standards 2009: Thesis report by Paulo Lopes, Imperial College. A tool for voluntary carbon credit buyers. Read More

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Grant Updates
England - Funds still available for woodland creation grant applications with a claim year of 2010/11 or until each regional budget is committed. Regional threshholds apply. Read More
South-West England - FC's 80 per cent Biodiversity Woodland Improvement Grant, previously restricted to priority areas, now includes work in ancient woodlands. Read More
East Midlands - The region will benefit from an extra £4m over the next two years aimed at both woodland creation and management that will help woodland birds. Read More
East England - Grants are now available under the EWGS for preparation of deer management plans in line with the Deer Initiative templates. Read More
Scotland - Important Spring 2010 Scottish Rural Development Programme - Rural Priorities Assessment Round dates: Cut off for submitted cases - 4pm, 11 January; Cut off for committed cases - 4pm, 29 January; RPAC meetings - 15-26 March. Read More
Wales - Better Woodlands for Wales now accepts applications from owners of woodland under than 20ha including replanting and management of existing woodland. Read More

45 contractors needed for planting in Wales
The Forestry Commission is planning a major project to restock trees throughout Wales. A four year framework agreement worth around £1.6m will be divided into 15 geographical areas. FC will be appointing up to 45 firms to do the work. Read More  

Free woodland creation offer
Under the National Forest Company Freewoods scheme, landowners in this area can get three years free professional design, planting and establishemt costs to convert small areas of land to woodland for specific use. Read More

Chair sought for Yorkshire Rural Forum 
Yorkshire and The Humber Rural Affairs Forum are seeking a new Chair to continue to promote the the Forum's work. Read More

Tenders
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council (100,000 tree stock) requires tree maintenance in a four-year contract. Deadline 16 Nov. Email Danielle Clarke or call 01256 845726 

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Low carbon transition
Forestry Commission England and Defra are planning a consultation workshop in London on 10 November to get input from stakeholders as part of their work to turn the vision in the Government's Low Carbon Transition Plan into reality. Read More

Referendum rural conversation with Richard Lochhead
Acting on plans to bring forward a Referendum Bill in 2010, Richard Lochhead MSP, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, has published a report (part of the National Conversation) that looks at issues arising for his portfolio and invites comments. Read More

Have industry apprentices got what you need?
That's what Lantra wants to know. The Sector Skills Council needs representatives working in forestry and aboriculture for a consultation to ensure their apprenticeships meet employers' needs. Read More

CABI needs your expertise
CABI is examining and reporting on the economic costs of invasive non-native species to Great Britain. Completing their quick survey will give you free entry to a draw to win a CABI book of your choice. Closes: 25 November. Get Survey

Consultations still open
Biocidal Product Regulations 2001. Closes 23 November. Read More

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