September 08 

Welcome to this month's E-news.

We're into the "meet and greet" season with a flurry of conferences, seminars, trade shows and study tours. We hope to meet many of you on the ICF stand at the Arboricultural Association conference in Canterbury (15th-17th September) or our International Forestry Exhibition stand S5b, en-route to the demo area, at Cannock Chase (18th-20th) and to spend time with you at "Greenproofing Landscapes", our October Study Tour which carries valuable learning and CPD hours. 

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.  You can view archived issues of E-News on the ICF website under Publications and Services. 

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

Spotlight on ICF CEnvs
New ICF Chartered Environmentalist members are invited to send their photo and a short personal profile to the Society for the Environment who will post the details on their website to promote the CEnv qualification. Email your photo and details to Kerry Geldart.

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

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Citrus Longhorn beetle found in UK
Defra has identified the presence of the Citrus Longhorn Beetle (Anoplophora chinensis) in UK. The invasive non-native insect which could harm woodland areas and garden plants has been brought in on Acer plants (Acer palmatum or 'Japanese Maple') imported from China via the Netherlands and distributed by mail order. Although the beetle is known to have been introduced in Acers, it can affect a wide range of trees or shrubs including oak, beech, ash, maple, hazel, horse chestnut, and birch. Guidance is given on the Defra website. More
Picture: Crown Copyright CSL 

Scottish Forestry Trust appoints new director
Bob Stubbs will take over the position of SFT Director when the current Director, David Rook, retires in December. Bob, who has experience of both forest management and timber processing, joins from Highlands and Islands Enterprise where his position included developing, commissioning and monitoring research projects. He was appointed Chair of the Scottish Forest Industries Advisory Board in May and sits on a number of forest industry forums within Scotland.

Tree Bank promotes increase in tree planting
The Tree Council and National Grid have launched Tree Bank, an initiative that will see Tree Wardens and councils planting thousands more trees across the country. The Tree Bank allows The Tree Council to assist National Grid with its Tree and Vegetation Management Policy, which is committed to planting four new trees for every mature tree removed during essential gas or electricity projects. More

Questionnaire seeks industry consensus on
hard surfacing near trees 
Your views are sought in a short online questionnaire as part of a research project by Writtle College student Andy Poynter. He aims to gauge what arboriculturists prefer and how they feel about hard surfacing near trees through a 3-5 minute web-based questionnaire. 
As responses will be anonymous for the final report of this independent survey, we encourage you to take part.

Deadline 31 October. Complete the survey

Have big cats come to Glenmore? 
No, but anyone calling in at Scotland's Glenmore Visitor Centre can expect a celebrity welcome now that naturalist and film maker Simon King has taken up residence.
Simon, renowned for his work on TV programmes such as Big Cat Diary and Springwatch, is presenting a new visitor information film - From Mountain Top to Forest Shore, Glenmore. The 12 minute film explains the local links to the boreal forest that once covered the northern hemisphere and gives visitors some pointers on the species that they can see in the area. More

South West England woodland bulletin launched
The Forestry Commission's new South West Woodland News contains useful information and articles relevant to forestry in the region. The first edition (Summer 2008) includes information on the extension of the FCE Woodland Grant Scheme to include applications for the establishment of new woodlands with basic funding levels of £1,800 per ha for broadleaves and £1,200 per ha for conifers with additional contributions in priority areas (Cotswolds, Exmoor and Dartmoor, and the South West Forest between Dartmoor and Bodmin) of up to £2,000 per ha. More To subscribe, email southwest.fce@forestry.gsi.gov.uk putting "Subscribe" in the subject box.  

Liverpool's interactive public display showcases trees
An interactive installation at Liverpool's Bluecoat Gallery from 19th August to 3rd September aims to raise awareness of the beneficial qualities of our nation's trees and woodlands.
Thanks to a regional partnership, 16 native trees have been contained within message planters situated next to audio benches playing the environmental sounds of birds, wind and rain as well as quotes from local people reflecting on the exhibition, and all powered by a solar tree. More

Website offers environmental guidance to forestry SMEs
NetRegs is a partnership between the UK environmental regulators - the Environment Agency in England and Wales, SEPA in Scotland and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in Northern Ireland. It provides free environmental guidance for small and medium-sized businesses throughout the UK and includes guidance for landowners, tenants or leaseholders and forest managers and contractors. More

Land registration rules tweaked 
New rules which amend the Land Registration Rules 2003 for England and Wales come into force on 10th November 2008.  All the forms will change but the old ones can be used until 10th February 2009. An amended version of the Rules is unlikely to appear on the Land Registry website until the middle of September. More

Lantra names new trees and timber manager
Sector skills council Lantra has appointed Ros Burnley as the Trees and Timber Partnership Manager for the UK. Ros joined Lantra in August last year and has been the trees and timber industry lead in England. She takes over from Claire Glaister MICFor of Rural Development Initiatives.

Scottish land use review welcomed
The ICF has welcomed news that the Scottish Government is to carry out a fundamental review of its rural land resource. The review should inform how Scotland can best use its rural land resource to produce its food, create its energy and support its rural communities.
Shireen Chambers MICFor, Executive Director, said: "ICF welcomes this announcement. We hope that the research that will come from this review can be aired at the ICF National Conference in Cardiff next April where we will be debating this issue and the role of forestry as a valuable resource." 

Timber laptop launched 
Technology developer Fujitsu has developed a concept laptop made of wood. The WoodShell features cedar housing derived from forest thinnings coupled with parts and external housing manufactured in bio-based plastics.

It was developed for a show, Japan Design 2008.
Source: woodland initiatives network/Small Woods Association

International conference calls for forestry submissions
The first call for Papers for the conference "Recreation and health in landscape and forest" conference has been announced. The conference will be held from 1st to 3rd April 2009 in Birmensdorf, Switzerland. There is an open call for presentation summaries and, in addition, proposals for sessions can be submitted and will be considered for the program if they fall within the scope of the conference. The conference website gives full information. More

Forestry Investments
Forestry investments outperformed all asset classes in 2007, returning 31.6%, according to the UK Forestry Index. Forestry's returns in 2007 were well above those of commercial property, equities and bonds, which returned -3.4%, 5.3% and 6.4% respectively. Timber prices helped push forestry's returns up. Source: TTJ

UK Poplar forum closes
The UK Poplar forum has closed as it was unable to plug the financial gap left when the Forestry Commission withdrew funding in 2007. Although alternative sources of income were thoroughly investigated, there was insufficient support and the Committee was forced to wind up its affairs, reports Chairman Arnold Beaton. He suggests that those seeking advice on poplar establishment, management or marketing should email either Arnold or Richard Sochacki FICFor.

Make your mark in European Forest Week
European Forest Week (20th-24th October) will be marked by events in Brussels, Rome and throughout Europe. It highlights the contribution of European forests in mitigating the effects of climate change, providing wood and renewable energy, promoting fresh water supply and protecting the environment. In-country activities held simultaneously are encouraged. More

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New Scottish woodland policy statement from FC
Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) launched its new policy statement 'Scotland's Woodlands and the Historic Environment' on Friday 15th August. The document pulls together the forestry sector's shared understanding of how forests and woodlands contribute towards Scotland's historic environment, and how they can contribute towards the delivery of Scottish Ministers' strategic policies for our historic and cultural heritage. More

FCS also has a new biodiversity programme - Woods for Nature. It sets out how the Commission is helping to conserve and expand woodland habitats and species in public and private woodlands and features a mix of long-term planning and landscape-scale action, including restoring and expanding our native woods that will create stronger, more adaptable ecosystems. More

Defra service offers fast oak-death diagnosis
A quick diagnosis of Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae is now available from the commercial arm of Defra's Central Science Laboratory. Forsite Diagnostics launched the PDplus service which can identify individual species of Phytophthora using DNA forensic techniques. More

South East Woodland and Timber Fund 
Grants are available to support the smaller timber processing or marketing projects particularly those involving collaborative working and supply chain development.  Next deadline: 17th October. Email Chris Jankiewicz or phone Chris on 07770 598020. 

Revised technical guidance and research notes from Forestry Commission  The revised "Handling restructuring claims and proposals" explains how new proposals, and legacy scheme payments, for restructuring felling and restructuring regeneration in Scotland will be handled under the 2007-2013 SRDP. More
Two new Research Notes entitled "The Environmental Change Network at Alice Holt Research Forest" (FCRN001) and "Red Band Needle Blight (pictured) of Conifers in Britain" (FCRN002) have been published and replace material previously issued as FC Information Notes. Order by phone (0870 121 4180) or email FC quoting FCRN001 or 002.
While among the new Information Notes to download from the FC website is "Choosing Provenance in Broadleaved Trees" (FCIN082). More

Minister to take action after ConFor meeting 
Scottish forestry Minister, Michael Russell, MSP confirmed he will demand immediate action to address delays in implementing the forestry elements of the new Scottish Rural Development Programme. His affirmation was given at a meeting with ConFor in August.
Stuart Goodall, ConFor's chief executive, said: "We were very impressed by the minister's understanding of the sector's situation and his determination to tackle the unacceptable delays that we have experienced. As well as agreeing to a set of key actions, the Minister also confirmed a follow-up meeting with senior civil servants and the industry". More

Progress made in bid to identify cause of declining oaks 
Scientists have moved closer to identifying the cause of a profuse stem bleeding condition, which has affected many oak trees in woods in Leicestershire, and they have ruled out 'sudden oak death' as the cause of the problem. The condition is described as an episode of 'acute oak decline'.
Pathologists from the FC's Forest Research agency have discovered bacteria from three different genera, or "groups", in samples taken from symptomatic trees in the woods. Further tests are now being carried out in a bid to pinpoint which bacteria are responsible for the symptoms. More

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Give your input on these new consultations....

Sustainable use of soils on construction sites: Defra has issued a consultation on a draft Code of Practice for the sustainable use of soils on construction sites and it includes trees and plants. It aims provide a practical guide to assist anyone involved in or with the construction industry to protect the soil resources with which they work. Ends 20 October. More

Natural England's Draft Enforcement Policy:  This consultation seeks views on Natural England's approach to enforcement, the principles that it applies to its enforcement work and whether its draft enforcement policy will achieve its aims. Natural England is responsible for the regulatory stewardship and enforcement of offences relating to: Sites of Special Scientific Interest, illegal burning of heathland and grassland, agricultural work which affects uncultivated land or semi-natural areas and breaches of licences and notices relating to wildlife management and protected species. Ends 18 October. More  

Draft treework Standard: The draft BS 3998 Recommendations for tree work has been released for public comment for a 3 month period. The document can be reviewed and comments submitted on line. Ends 31 October. More

Consultations still open
National Forest Consultation for the new implementation plan to support its 2004-2014 strategy. Closing date: 30 September. More
Phytophthora ramorum (sudden oak death) and Phytophthora kernoviae consultation from The Forestry Commission, Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government. Closing date: 10 October. Documents and further information at www.forestry.gov.uk/planthealth.
Woodlands for Wales, the public consultation to revise the strategy for trees and woodlands in Wales. Closing date: 14 October. More
The Gangmasters Licensing (Exclusions) Regulations 2006. Defra consultation on the fine-tuning of the scheme. Closing date: 20 October. More 

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Forest health seminars in Wales this week
Forestry Commission Wales/Forest Research are holding two one-day Forest Health seminars looking at some of the pests and diseases affecting trees and woodlands in Wales. Seminars will start at 10am in Clawdd Newydd Village Hall, near Ruthin (3rd Sept) and Henderson Hall, Talybont on Usk (4th Sept). Both include surgeries where delegates can bring their own pest and disease problems for the experts to debate. Contact Lyn Ackroyd on 01874 676444 or email Lyn .

Forestry update seminar
Lancashire Woodlands Project has organised a one-day workshop on 25 Sept aimed at anyone involved in forestry who would like to improve and update their knowledge. Topic include: woodland grants, habitat regulations, woodland management plans, restoration of plantations on ancient woodland sites and management of woodlands for wood fuel. See diary entry below.

Marketing for Small Wood-Based Businesses
This evening workshop on 11th November at Myerscough College will cover the essentials of promoting your business and products. It will look at identifying your market, advertising, identifying unique selling points and much more. Marketing consultants Freeland Marketing Solutions will deliver the programme. They have worked with woodland and timber sector businesses in both Lancashire and Cumbria and understand the particular needs of the sector. Email the Lancashire Woodlands Project or telephone 01772 533917.

Housing, land use and community are the focus for Landscape Institute conference  (left)
The Landscape Institute conference will stimulate debate on the importance of good quality landscape in housing developments and in creating sustainable communities.

Speakers include Professor Robert Tregay of LDA Design, architect and urban designer Terry Farrell and Director of CABE Space Sarah Gaventa.

Site visits across London also programmed. More 

Forestry training grants for women
Lantra is offering women a £650 training grant to enhance their forestry skills. Email Lantra for more information.

Orchards and Groves: Their History, Ecology, Culture and Archaeology
This three day conference, 8th-10th Sept, at Sheffield Hallam University, will include history and landscape change, cultural change and abandonment and issues from archaeology to modern-day emergence of organic products, of added value, and tourism. See diary link below. 

November Health and Safety course for managers
The HSE, in partnership with the Arboricultural Association, is running  a training course for managers who engage contractors to be held on 4th Nov at Roadford Lake Conference Centre. It aims to set out the responsibilities of those managers in identifying the correct contractor for the job, what the manager's legal position is when engaging a tree surgeon under the HSWA, and to demonstrate, practically, the correct methods and machinery for any given task. For details email Glenda Treneary at HSE.

Orchards and Groves  -Their History, Ecology, Culture and Archaeology:  Sheffield Hallam University. 8th-10th Sept. More
Ignite Woodfuel Supply Training Course:  Nr Bury St Edmunds, 9th-11th Sept. More
Cheap as Wood Chips - What Value the Urban Tree seminar: Dudley, Midlands, 10th Sept. More
CCFG Technical Meeting: Lowland Broadleaf Woodland, 10th Sept. More
Arboricultural Association Conference: University of Kent, Canterbury, 14th-17th Sept. More
IEA, FC and FR Workshop, Woodfuel Chain Supply - Sharing Experience: University of Warwick, 15th-19th Sept. More 
SilviLaser 2008 - 8th International Conference on LiDAR: Edinburgh Conference Centre, Heriot Watt University, 17th-19th Sept. More
International Forestry Exhibition: Cannock Chase, Staffordshire,18th-20th Sept. More
Wessex Silviculture Group Meeting: Savernake, Wiltshire, 18th Sept. More
Meet the wood energy experts - Q & A event: International Forestry Exhibition, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, 19th Sept. More
A Week in the Woods: Introduction to Coppicing and Woodland Crafts with apprenticeship option, Droxford, Peterfield, 22nd-26th Sept. More
Thinking and Acting Sustainably - Society for the Environment Seminar: London, 23rd Sept. More
ICF North Scotland Regional Group - Growing and Marketing Hardwoods: Conicavel Village Hall, Darnaway, 25th Sept. More
Lancashire Woodlands Project - Forestry update seminar: Downham, Lancashire, 25 September. More
PAWS Restoration seminar - A gradual process rather than a quick fix: Alford, Donside, 26th Sept. More
Arboriculture and Bats - A Guide for Practitioners (Training): Brewerley Park, North Yorkshire, 30th Sept. More
CCFG Wales Workshop - Silvicultural Systems for Tomorrow!: Llanidloes, Powys, 1st Oct. More
Joint Regional ICF East England/Arboricultural Assocation conference - Subsidence and Trees: A Collaborative Approach: Essex County Council, 8th Oct. More
Landscape Institute Annual Conference 2008 - Housing, Land Use and Community: Regent's College, London, 9th-10th Oct. More
ICF National Study Tour 2008 - Greenproofing Landscapes - People, Trees and Places: Ashby de la Zouch, 15-17 Oct. More

RFS forthcoming events include: Devon & Cornwall - Berry Pomeroy, 10th Sept; East Anglia - AGM Lexham Hall Estate, Fakenham, 25 Sept; Hereford - Westhide Estate, Shucknall, 19th Sept; Home Counties - Groves Wood, Hertford/Bayfordbury Pinetum, Hertford, 17th Sept; London - Northaw Great Wood, Cuffley, 11th Sept; Midlands - Bulwick Estate, Corby, 17th Sept; North East England - Gibside, Newcastle upon Tyne, 11th Sept; North West England - Pennine Edge Forest, Oldham, 18th Sept; North Wales - Craflwyn & Hafod y Llan, Beddgelert, 2nd Oct; Northern Ireland - AGM Portloughan House, Strangford, 6th Sept; Notts & Lincs - Aswarby Estate, Sleaford, 2nd Oct; Oxon/Bucks - Woolmans Wood, Beaconsfield/Cliveden Estate, Maidenhead, 25th Sept; Somerset & Dorset - Fordgate Farm, Bridgewater/AGM, Stoke Gregory, 10th Sept; South East England - Penange Farm, Chiddingfold, Godalming/Hascombe Estate, Godalming, ! 3rd Sept; South West England - Berry Pomeroy, Totnes, 10th Sept; South West Wales - Bachsylw Login, Llanboidy, 11th Sept. For details visit RFS Website 

View full events list

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