In early 2005, Northwoods was contracted by the Northumberland Renewable Energy Group to undertake a survey of the woodlands in public ownership in the south east of the county.  There was to be a bias towards energy end-uses for the available material, and Northwoods produced a report and recommendations for action to make the most of the identified resource.

Following the closure of nearly all of the coal mines in south east Northumberland during the 1980s and 1990s, and the progressive working-out of mines from the 1960s onwards, a series of environmental regeneration projects have been implemented across the area in order to address the problems associated with its mining heritage.  Large-scale tree planting schemes have been the lynchpin of this regeneration, and have created a landscape characterised by large, mixed-species plantation woodlands.

South east Northumberland now presents a situation unique in the County, of closely located conurbations surrounded by a patchwork of plantation woodlands.  This gives the County an opportunity to link a renewable source of energy to local heat and electricity consumers as the more established woodlands approach maturity.

 

The study, which involved site visits and desk research, has established not only the quantity of timber available from these sites, but also from tree work operations undertaken by each of the District Councils.

Diagram : Timber Sources in South East Northumberland

 

The resource study analysed the available resource, detailed the steps necessary to turn this into useable energy and made a series of recommendations which Northumberland County Council is now beginning to implement.

More information on the Northumberland Renewable Energy Group can be found on their website at: http://www.northumberlandenergy.co.uk/.

Download the full report by clicking on the PDF icon below.  The report will open in a new window.

 

SEN Woodfuel
Resource Report (1.74mb)