POWER OF WOOD - BIOMASS PLAN TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE

The Forestry Commission’s Woodfuel Strategy for England (www.forestry.gov.uk/england-woodfuel), launched today by Biodiversity Minister Barry Gardiner, aims to boost the woodfuel market with an extra two million tonnes of wood a year by 2020, saving 400,000 tonnes of carbon annually – the equivalent of taking 550,000 cars off the road.

Carbon released into the atmosphere by burning woodfuel is absorbed by growing more trees. As well as cutting carbon and producing renewable energy, woodfuel benefits biodiversity through sustainable management of neglected woodlands and boosts the rural economy.

Barry Gardiner visited a trailblazing woodfuel scheme in Bristol today. Blaise Plant Nursery's boiler uses clean recovered wood from Bristol’s parks to heat greenhouses, saving £19,000 a year on fuel bills and contributing to climate change targets.
Barry Gardiner said:

"Using wood instead of fossil fuels means that sustainably managed woodland can be a significant resource for a low-carbon economy. Producing fuel from timber taken from well-managed woodlands benefits wildlife too.

"Stimulating the woodfuel market is good for jobs too, and this new strategy gives people the tools to realise the broad range of benefits that woodfuel has to offer. Government, business, communities and local authorities can

“Over half of England’s woodlands are currently under-managed. This is a significant and sustainable resource that we want to tap into.

“This will also bring additional benefits including biodiversity. Bringing more woodland back into management will benefit a range of flora and fauna including species such as nightingales and woodland butterflies. Using wood to substitute for fossil fuels means that well managed woodland can help to combat climate change. So woodfuel is a winner on many counts.”

“Bristol City Council is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 3% each year to 2020 and by 60% by 2050.

“The Blaise project is the first of its kind in Bristol and it has already encouraged two further biomass projects: at Florence Brown Special Needs School in Knowle and the Netham Sports Pavilion. Four new secondary schools to be built in Bristol will also be installing woodfuel boilers resulting in one of the largest biomass heat clusters in the UK.

“Heating the plant nurseries with woodfuel will save more than 100 tonnes of CO2 per year, making the growing of bedding plants at Blaise virtually carbon neutral.”

1. The Woodfuel Strategy is available from www.forestry.gov.uk/england-woodfuel. The publication of the Strategy will be followed up by a detailed implementation plan in the summer.
2. The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. It supports woodland owners with grants; tree felling licences, regulation and advice; promotes the benefits of forests and forestry; and advises Government on forestry policy. It manages more than a million hectares (2.5 million acres) of national forest land for public benefits such as sustainable timber production, public recreation, nature conservation, and rural and community development. For further information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk.
3. Defra’s biomass pages are at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/crops/industrial/index.htm. The Government has set a domestic target to reduce carbon emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 and 60% by 2050. Biomass as a renewable source of energy, including woodfuel, can make a contribution to achieving these targets.