A charcoal and wood fuel producer
SEEBF recognise that we will not hit the BAP targets and enhance the biodiversity of the South East region unless we make positive links between economic drivers and support for wildlife. The region's woodlands are dependent on ongoing management, and our aim is to help ensure that this management is supported wherever possible by sustainable markets.
The need for rotational management of woodlands is recognised as essential for ensuring there are the right conditions for a wide range of woodland species. Markets such as wood fuel, firewood and charcoal production can provide an important means for ensuring appropriate management is able to continue on a sustainable basis. Over the past year, SEEBF has been working with the private sector to identify priority areas where charcoal production in particular would have the greatest benefit for woodland biodiversity. The criteria for selecting these areas were based on the following principles:
- That the woodland areas should be large enough to support annual harvesting
AND
- That the harvesting of the wood has the potential to enhance the biodiversity in the area.
Data used
This work has been based on the most up to date information and draws on a range of information including data on:
- The type of woodland
- Bird, butterfly and bat populations (with thanks to Butterfly Conservation and the Bat Conservation Trust)
- The area under management
- The area already managed for biodiversity
- The area already certified under the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme
The methodology, map and data can be downloaded from the links below
- Method
- Map (please save this to your computer and then open the file to get the highest quality image)
- Woodland resource data
- Woodland certification
- Area ranking
The map (linked to above) gives an over view of this data and the accompanying spreadsheets provide the back ground information for each of these squares, including statements for each area and a ranking of the squares based on the data available.
Contacts
Please note that this information is still in development and if you have any comments or suggestions please contact Tom Butterworth
Or if you would like more information on any of the areas identified and/or are thinking of setting up a charcoal or wood fuel business in the South East Region please contact: