Waste to Woodfuel

Cornwall Wildlife Trust were fortunate to be able to buy a brand new tractor and forestry trailer in 2018 thanks to generous public donations and European funding. This fantastic new equipment means that we can run the Cornwall Wildlife Trust Waste to Woodfuel project.

This is a new scheme where the wood we produce during our habitat management work on our Nature Reserves – the waste wood – can be taken from the woodland to local firewood businesses where it can be sold. A great way of making a waste product into a valuable, local, renewable resource.

Waste wood is a valuable, renewable resource

Many woodlands have fallen out of management over recent decades to the detriment of some of our most beloved woodland wildlife. However, timber harvested from sustainably managed woodlands is a valuable resource. If it’s used for heating, it’s also a low carbon, renewable energy source.

Wildlife thrives where there is a wide range of different habitat types within a woodland, and where these habitats meet. The open, sunny habitat of a recently coppiced area of a woodland encourages a wide range of nectar-rich plants, attracting a multitude of insects and birds. Actively managing our woodlands, replicating the way these woodlands would have been managed for centuries with a modern twist, will ensure that our woodlands are thriving, dynamic wildlife habitats.

Tractor & Forestry Trailer for hire

Local woodland managers can hire the tractor and trailer from Cornwall Wildlife Trust to extract timber from their woodlands. They must be able to show that they have planned their woodland management to ensure it is sustainable and will benefit wildlife.

Contact

Please contact our Mid Cornwall Reserves Manager Andy Collins on Andy.Collins@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk if you would like to hire the equipment, with an operator.

This project was made possible thanks to the LEADER funding, under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development programme. This was matched by generous donations from a Cornwall Wildlife Trust supporter in their will, and the Tanner Trust. With additional thanks to the support of the Coast to Coast Local Action Group.

If you would like to know more about leaving a gift or donation in your will, we can offer free will advice and help.