Cumbria Woodlands main aim is to improve and increase sustainable woodland management. A secondary aim is to increase the amount of new woodland in targeted locations.

A special area of work in 2007/8 is to increase the area of woodland SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) that are in a “favourable” condition. We are working in partnership with the Forestry Commission, Natural England and private landowners and  to do this work.

Currently, our main services are to :

• Provide an advisory site visit. For woodland establishment, the site visit may cover issues such as thinning, coppicing, grazing, silviculture, natural regeneration and invasive/non-native species. For woodland management, advice could include species choice, protection against browsing, ground preparation and aftercare.
• Write a report tailored to your objectives.
• Provide a cash flow forecast for your woodland creation or management project.
• Advise on sources of grant aid.
• Signpost enquirers to other sources of advice and information where queries are beyond our area of expertise.
• Liaise with the Forestry Commission to help you obtain the best grant package available.
• We may also be able to source subsidised training on anything from business courses to chainsaw, health & safety, and a wide variety of craft courses.

We will normally refer customers to a private sector woodland adviser when a grant aid application form needs completing or when work needs supervising on the ground.

Unfortunately, where enquirers have very small areas of existing woodland, or propose to plant a relatively small number of trees, we will not be able to provide a site visit. However, we will endeavour to provide advice and signposting over the telephone.

Business Support Service
Our Business Development Programme has comitted all of its current budget. However, we are working on funding bids to secure further funds for this service. Do contact us for an update on progress with this project.

Previously we have been able to provide the following support for wood-using and woodland-based businesses that are located in Cumbria.  

• Business planning service.
• Help with technical advice.
• Capital grants (see guidance notes and application form on grants page).
• Signposting and networking service.
• Advice on training needs.

Training
Cumbria Woodlands runs a training programme each year. The programme is made up of mainly greenwood and coppice sector courses. In 2008 we hope to be able to offer more for the forestry contracting sector. If you have specific training needs in a woodland, forestry, land management or greenwood related area, please contact us with your ideas or suggestions.


Signposting
Staff at Cumbria Woodlands have extensive experience, and can usually find the answers to your queries. However, if a query is beyond our expertise or relates to an area outside Cumbria, we can usually find a contact that can supply you with the information you require.