Ian Tubby Forest Services · 14.10.2015 · Ian Tubby Forest Services Sustainability of forest...
Transcript of Ian Tubby Forest Services · 14.10.2015 · Ian Tubby Forest Services Sustainability of forest...
Ian Tubby
Forest Services
Sustainability of forest resources
14/10/2015
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.
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.
Forestry expansion
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10,000 ha of woodland created in UK 2014/15
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
Hardwood roundwood deliveries
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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
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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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
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.
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
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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