Ian Tubby Forest Services · 14.10.2015  · Ian Tubby Forest Services Sustainability of forest...

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Ian Tubby Forest Services Sustainability of forest resources 14/10/2015

Transcript of Ian Tubby Forest Services · 14.10.2015  · Ian Tubby Forest Services Sustainability of forest...

Page 1: Ian Tubby Forest Services · 14.10.2015  · Ian Tubby Forest Services Sustainability of forest resources 14/10/2015. Sustainability • Environmental – ...

Ian Tubby

Forest Services

Sustainability of forest resources

14/10/2015

Page 2: Ian Tubby Forest Services · 14.10.2015  · Ian Tubby Forest Services Sustainability of forest resources 14/10/2015. Sustainability • Environmental – ...

Sustainability

• Environmental –carbon savings, habitat improvement, land use change, air quality, water quality.

• Social – recreation, tourism, historic environment, awareness of what forestry does.

• Economic – job, GVA, GDP, energy security, diversification, capital value.

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Why woodfuel?

• ‘Commits the UK to reducing emissions by at least 80% in 2050 from 1990 levels’.

• RHI, Feed In Tariffs all originate from this act

• 2009 Renewable Energy Directive -15% energy from renewables by 2020.

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~27% reduction in 25 years, 35 years to go.

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Bioenergy contribution to renewables

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19% of electricity from renewables so

biomass produces 8% of electricity in UK

1% of heating comes from renewables.

Heating accounts for around 44%

carbon emissions.

3.9% of road

transport

fuels.

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Forestry expansion

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10,000 ha of woodland created in UK 2014/15

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Forestry success last 40 years

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Softwood roundwood deliveries

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Conifer accounts for 26% of woodland cover in England and supplies 82% of timber

reaching market

Conifer covers ~2.5% of land in England

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Hardwood roundwood deliveries

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4502

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UK hardwood deliveries 1000’s green tonnes

Sawmills

Pulp mills

Panels

Woodfuel

Broadleaved woodland accounts for 74% of woodland cover in England but supplies just 18% of timber harvest

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How much wood is used as fuel?

• 1.5 million green tonnes softwood roundwood.

• 0.4 million green tonnes of hardwood.

• Around 17% of total harvest going to energy

• Annual increment in UK woods is around 20 million tonnes (and woodland cover increasing)

• 40 days growth to replace annual woodfuel harvest.

• Even broadleaved woodland produces equivalent of 1000litres of oil per ha per year

• FC statistics do not capture arb arisings, activity below felling licence threshold.

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Page 10: Ian Tubby Forest Services · 14.10.2015  · Ian Tubby Forest Services Sustainability of forest resources 14/10/2015. Sustainability • Environmental – ...

How are we using our wood?

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Carbon stocks in woodland

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Threats to carbon stocks

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Active management required to accommodate

disease, protect and maintain ecosystem services (including carbon) and build

resilience to climate change

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Browsing mammals

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Poor deer control could lead to long term reduction in carbon stock, as well as poorer biodiversity, regardless of whether wood is harvested or not.

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Percentage of woodland in active management (inc. PFE)

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This indicator of woodland in management includes woodlands where there has been Forestry Commission England grant or felling licence activity typically in the previous 15 years

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Biodiversity

‘The woodfuel market could represent the single most important economic activity to reinvigorate our woodland wildlife….’

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ETI survey

• Over 70% of the general public support bioenergy

• Support is particularly strong for medium scale applications e.g. boilers in schools, hospitals etc

• Strength of support increases when more UK grown biomass is used as opposed to imports

• The most commonly cited positive aspects were that is can generate energy from waste and it is a renewable source of energy

• The most commonly cited negative aspects of bioenergy were potential competition for land and not enough produced in UK so would have to rely on imports.

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Sustainability ‘land criteria’

• Do not take precedence over existing legislation and regulations.

• Are based on government Timber Procurement Policy (but do not comply 100% with TPP criteria, public sector will need to ensure this is taken into account).

• Require all wood to be ‘legally harvested’ and at least 70% of wood to be ‘sustainably sourced’.

• The definition of ‘legally harvested’ is described in Article 2 of the EU timber regulation (‘harvested in accordance with the applicable legislation in the country of harvest’).

• A felling licence demonstrates wood has been “legally harvested”.

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“Sustainably sourced”

• The definition of “sustainable” is set out in the Timber Standard for Heat and Electricity.

• The “Forest Europe” criteria on which the UK Forestry Standard is based are aligned with those listed in the Timber Standard for Heat and Electricity.

• An FC approved management plan demonstrates that woodfuel has been “sourced sustainably”.

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In summary

• Be positive! Spread the word!

• Forestry in England is currently thriving.

• Woodfuel is a mainstream part of forestry and the dominant form of renewable heat.

• Woodland area is increasing, woodland carbon stocks are increasing, area of managed woodland is increasing.

• Pests, disease, climate change mean we cannot rest – we need to accelerate planting and management levels.

• Get a felling licence, get a management plan, get a Grown in Britain licence!

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