Breadcrumbs
New Marketing Guides for owners of small woodlands and the makers of wood products - 21 February 2006
Produced by The Small Woods Association in partnership with the Forestry Commission England, The Countryside Agency and the England Forest Industries Partnership, the two guides aim to enable the effective marketing of sustainable wood and woodland products, to help create and strengthen the market for such products, and encourage sustainable woodland management.
Forestry Minister Jim Knight welcomed the publication of the new guides, saying that they would provide important business advice to small forestry operators.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to use our forests and forest products more effectively - and, importantly, more sustainably," he said.
"People are caring more and more about whether the products they buy are environmentally sustainable, and many are willing to pay a premium for local, environmentally-friendly goods. There is a growing market for sustainable wood and woodland products, which provides some great opportunities for small business involved in forestry. These new guides will help them to identify and make the most of those opportunities - good news for small business, and good news for our woodlands and the wildlife that depends on them.”
Paul Hill Tout, Director England of the Forestry Commission, said “The guides have been published in response to research which identified the need for marketing expertise amongst both owners of small woodlands and the small scale makers of wood products. We hope the guides will help in improving the sustainable management of woodlands in England.”
James Petts of the Countryside Agency said: “Effective marketing of sustainably produced woodland products can support local jobs and businesses, as well as helping to conserve some of England’s much loved woodland landscapes.” Better marketing of sustainable woodland products will also help build greater understanding among consumers, demonstrating that the choices they make at the till have a direct impact on our countryside.
The booklets take the reader step by step through the marketing process from business planning to final sale. They are available free of charge from The Small Woods Association, The Old Bakery, Main Road, Pontesbury, Shropshire. SY5 ORR Tel 01743 792644 or email enquiries@smallwoods.org.uk or as free PDF’s from http://www.smallwoods.org.uk/236_Free-Marketing-Guides.asp
Or from www.forestry.gov.uk/england-woodmarketing
Ends
Notes to the editor
About the guides:
The guide for the owners of small woods includes a woodland product review, a section on how and when to sell timber, and advice on presenting woodland to the market, preparing timber for sale, researching markets and advertising and promotion. For the makers of wood products the reader is taken through a typical business as an example from business plan, products review , market research, the marketing of the products, and marketing mix and segmentation, concluding with advertising and promotion.
The booklets are 35 pages, A5, with a full cover colour and two colour inner including photographs, illustrations, tables and a few specifically drawn cartoons to draw attention to key points.
The Small Woods Association is a national registered charity whose aim is to bring all those together with an interest in small woodlands. It has a membership of woodland owners, managers and practitioners who own or manage over 40,000 hectares of woodland throughout the UK from 1 to 100 hectares. It has a national magazine Smallwoods full of the latest information and a range of publications.
The Association runs a series of events and seminars throughout the UK and hosts the Green Wood Centre, a national body tasked by the Forestry Commission with leading the revival and support of the coppice and green wood sectors. It also hosts the woodland initiatives network which supports 150 woodland projects around the UK as well as two key partnerships, Herefordshire Sustain Project and Coed Lleol in Wales. For further information see www.smallwoods.org.uk
The Forestry Commission England is responsible for the sustainable management of existing woods and forests; and a steady expansion of our woodland area to provide more benefits for society and our environment. It delivers the forestry policy for England, on behalf of DEFRA, according to its strategic priorities and programmes. These are based on four key interconnected programmes: forestry for rural development; forestry for economic regeneration; forestry for recreation, access and tourism; and forestry for the environment and conservation. Further details about the strategy and the work of FCE, as well as recent campaigns and events are available at www.forestry.gov.uk.
The England Forest Industries Partnership (EFIP) is a partnership of industry, national and regional government. EFIP embraces the forest and woodland sector from resource to processing and end-use. EFIP is mandated to produce and implement action plans designed to bolster and increase the competitiveness of England's forestry and woodland businesses.
In this way it aims to support the industry's ability to contribute to the key aims of the England Forestry Strategy. EFIP works to promote the valuable contribution of the sector in England towards the sustainable development of the economy, environment and local communities, providing strategic advice to government and other relevant organisations on issues relating to the forestry sector. For more information on EFIP see www.efip.org.uk
The Countryside Agency’s Landscape, Access and Recreation (LAR) division aims to help everyone respect, protect and enjoy the countryside – protecting natural landscapes; and encouraging access to, enjoyment of and sustainable management and use of the countryside.
Following publication of the draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill in February, English Nature, the Rural Development Service and the Countryside Agency’s Landscape, Access and Recreation division are working towards integration as a single body: Natural England. It will work for people, places and nature with responsibility for enhancing biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas; promoting access, recreation and public wellbeing, and contributing to the way natural resources are managed – so they can be enjoyed now and for future generations.
English Nature is the independent Government agency that champions the conservation of wildlife and geology throughout England. The Rural Development Service is the largest deliverer of the England Rural Development Programme and a range of advisory and regulatory rural services. With the administration of a multi-million pound grant budget for schemes which support land management, rural businesses and rural communities, the Rural Development Service is the single largest organisation working for the benefit of rural areas in England. For more information on the the ‘Eat the View’ initiative of the Landscape, Access and Recreation (LAR) division of The Countryside Agency
