As part of the Rokwood project our colleagues from SP (Technical Research Institute of Sweden) have produced and translated a booklet called Willow as fuel: Methods and Techniques for 50…
A year ago I wrote a blog calling on the Environment Agency to officially publish a report and briefing note that was produced back in 2010 about the possible impacts (good and bad)…
Rokwood is an ambitious 3-year study involving partners from six European countries (Germany, Spain, Ireland, Poland, Sweden and UK) plus the European Biomass Association. It exists to fuel dialogue between…
Willows are sometimes called the Easter Tree as they come into bloom early in spring. Male varieties can be particularly showy and produce prolific displays of golden catkins. They aren’t…
It is possible to achieve high yields of over 12 oven dry tonnes per hectare per year from willow grown as short rotation coppice (SRC). To achieve this you need…
Broadleaved coppice involves growing native trees such as ash, sycamore, sweet chestnut, alder and hazel. The plantation should be cut back to ground level after 5 years to promote the…
Short rotation forestry (SRF) involves planting single stemmed trees over rotations between 8-20 years depending on the species chosen. This practice is similar to conventional forestry and trees are harvested when they…
This film shows some field trials planted by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Alnarp. The contrast between the plots treated with herbicide and those that are not is…
There has never been a better time to install a woodfuel boiler. Fossil fuel prices are rising higher and higher and there are excellent rebates available from the Government’s Renewable…
A publication has been published which for the first time brings together all the information about the currently available biomass willow (Salix spp) varieties for growing as short rotation coppice…
The British summer of 2012 has so far been a complete wash out with heavy rain and floods causing events such as the Badminton Horse Trials and the Festival of…
If you look around the web you’ll find that there are a number of companies selling “grow your own woodfuel kits”. If you’re a small holder with limited space for…
