SAWPOINTS Woodland visit adds up
for Chinese foresters Foresters from one of the most populous countries in the world visited Wales to discover how to encourage people to make the most of their woodlands
A
group of five delegates from the Forestry Bureau of the Municipality of
Chongqing in western China came to Garwnant on a fact-finding mission to see how Forestry Commission Wales balances public access with the needs of a thriving forest industry. The party was given a guided tour of the Forestry Commission Wales centre just outside Merthyr Tydfil, which attracts thousands of people ever year to its walking trails, mountain bike trails, bike park, adventure play area and animal puzzle trail.
The visit was built on an
agreement signed in 2006 between Forestry Commission Wales and the Forestry Bureau of Chongqing to foster working relationships between the two countries despite the vast differences in scale. Some 32 million people live in
Meanwhile in England, a new £20 million ($31 million) fund to help rural businesses increase profits and reduce their impact on the environment has been launched by Agriculture Minister, Jim Paice. Farmers, foresters and
horticulturalists can apply for grants of up to £25,000 ($39,000) to invest in green projects and new machinery so their businesses can grow in an environmentally friendly way. The Farming and Forestry
Improvement Scheme (FFIS) will fund new profit-boosting green schemes that: • Save energy and reduce carbon emissions
• Reduce dependence on artificial fertilisers through better use of manures
the province of Chongqing alone, compared with around 3 million in the whole of Wales, and while Wales has to manage squirrel and deer in its forests, the Chinese have to contend with pandas and tigers. Terry O’Keefe, Forestry Commission Wales Head of Secretariat and Communications: “Although the province is four times as big as Wales and has 10 times as many people, it was interesting to see that both countries have to manage similar issues, particularly how we encourage people to use woodland without it being damaged. Our Chinese visitors summed it up as a policy of protect and use. “The scale of our operations
and resources may be very different from how things are managed in Chongqing, but there were valuable lessons for both countries to take from the
• Improve soil quality • Improve animal health and welfare
• Save and recycle water • Promote woodland management by processing timber more efficiently.
Paice: “Growing our economy goes hand-in-hand with protecting and improving our environment. We want rural businesses to thrive and this new fund will help farmers, foresters and horticulturists to boost their profits and use greener and more efficient ways of working.” The FFIS is part of Defra’s Rural
Development Programme for England (RDPE). Funds will be allocated by December 2013. Grants will cover a maximum of half of the total
Terry O’Keefe (left) from Forestry Commission Wales discusses forest management with delegates from Chongqing
experience of other woodland managers, albeit thousands of miles apart.” The visitors were particularly
interested in how Forestry Commission Wales managed access to Welsh Government woodlands, which cover about 6% of the area of Wales, and encouraged visitors from towns and cities to enjoy the woodlands. Other issues discussed were
how Forestry Commission Wales protects trees from damage by fire, pests and diseases and how it sustainably manages the woodland resource to ensure it continues to provide a wide range of public benefits.
The Chinese delegation also
received a briefing from members of the ‘Woodlands for Learning’
cost of projects in uplands areas and at most 40% of the total cost of projects in non-uplands areas. The RDPE aims to improve competitiveness in the agriculture and forestry sectors, safeguard and enhance the rural environment, foster competitive and sustainable rural businesses and thriving rural communities. Under the FFIS, all farmers,
foresters, contractors and horticulturalists in England are invited to apply for grants of between £2,500 ($3,900) and £25,000 ($39,000). Applicants will be assessed on their ability to meet one or more of six objectives. Some grants are available to enable farmers to improve soil quality and reduce their use of artificial fertilisers through better
team on how they work with schools and use woodlands as a stimulating location for educating young people.
This was their second visit to
Wales following the signing of the agreement to share knowledge and experience on forestry issues. That collaboration forms part of a wider agreement between the Government of the Chongqing province and the Welsh Government to co-operate in areas such as education and training, the management of the environment and the stimulation of tourism to boost rural economic development. Before returning home, the
group also visited Switzerland and England to see how they manage their woodlands.
Jim Paice
use of farm slurries and manures. Others will help
businesses to reduce or recover energy, saving money and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Farmers, foresters and horticulturalists can apply for funding that will help them to save, recycle and reuse rainwater, or to improve the health and welfare of farm animals. Money will also be invested in new mechanical equipment to process timber more efficiently, giving land owners a financial incentive to manage woodland and improve biodiversity.
10 International Forest Industries | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
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