Guides for the owners of small woods and makers of wood products

 

We have produced these booklets in association with The Small Woods Association, The Countryside Agency and the England Forest Industries Partnership. They aim to enable the effective marketing of sustainable wood and woodland products, to help create and strengthen the market for such products, and encourage sustainable woodland management.

Forestry Minister Jim Knight welcomed the publication of the new guides in February 2006, saying that they would provide important business advice to small forestry operators.
 
"It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to use our forests and forest products more effectively - and, importantly, more sustainably," he said.

"People are caring more and more about whether the products they buy are environmentally sustainable, and many are willing to pay a premium for local, environmentally-friendly goods. There is a growing market for sustainable wood and woodland products, which provides some great opportunities for small business involved in forestry. These new guides will help them to identify and make the most of those opportunities - good news for small business, and good news for our woodlands and the wildlife that depends on them."

Paul Hill-Tout, Director England of the Forestry Commission, said  “The guides have been published in response to research which identified the need for marketing expertise amongst both owners of small woodlands and the small scale makers of wood products. We hope the guides will help in improving the sustainable management of woodlands in England”.