SPRING 2008
South Yorkshire Forest
ENVIRONMENTAL REGENERATION • ECCONOMIC GROWTH • SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
A tree-mendous
planting season!
National Tree Week: 21st Nov - 2nd Dec 07
Planting season got off to a great star t as eleven schools in
Sheffield and Rotherham took up the oppor tunity to celebrate
National Tree Week with SYFP by getting stuck into planting
activities around their grounds.
The ‘Plant it, love it’ project, organised in partnership with the
Woodland Trust, used tree planting as a way to tap into primary age
pupils, raising awareness of the importance of trees and encouraging
young people to care for our green environment.
Peter Machan, SYFP education officer explained: “As the effects of
climate change due to human activity become evident around the
world - and even locally with the flooding earlier this year - it has never
been more vital to explain the importance of trees and to impart a
sense of care for the environment to children from an early age.”
A pupil from Nook Lane School taking pride in her tree!
Peter, a former head teacher himself, visited all eleven schools during
National Tree Week, leading a fun education session before taking
each group of children out to plant trees in their school grounds.
Each group planted 30 native trees that they will tend and nurture
over the next few years.
Peter Wolstenholme
The Gift that Grows
Very helpful - the Killamarsh Scouts
Planting at Beighton wore some people out!
Happy planters at Herringthorpe
Over the past year Gift that Grows tree sponsors
have contributed nearly 1000 trees to the South
Yorkshire Forest region.These trees will bring
enormous benefits to local communities, provide
wildlife habitats and help the wider environment
by acting as a carbon sink. Community planting
days were held in four locations during
February and March – Glass Park in Doncaster,
Herringthorpe Valley Park in Rotherham, Potters
Holes Plantation in Barnsley and Linleybank
Meadows (formerly Beighton tip) in Sheffield.
Incredibly the weather was fine for each event in
spite of bad forecasts and we were thrilled with
the number of people who actively wanted to
come and plant their sponsored trees; it shows a
real commitment to the scheme. We were also
grateful for extra help from the Killamarsh Scouts
at Linleybank, and local school children at Glass
Park. Everyone had lots of fun, but planting is
quite hard work so well done everyone!
BRANCHING OUT FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT
The trend for tree planting continues to
grow as more and more businesses seek
ways to lighten their carbon footprint and
fulfil commitments to community agendas.
Contributing to planting at the ex-landfill site
at Beighton were Novotel Sheffield Centre
and environmental consultancy ECUS, while
Beta Technology in Doncaster contributed
to the scheme in Glass Park and University
Centre Barnsley sponsored trees at Potters
Holes Plantation.
Karen Coy, Business Development Manager for
Novotel Sheffield Centre explained why the hotel
wanted to sign up to SYFP’s Branch Out business
tree planting scheme: “As part of the Accor group,
Novotel is committed to taking an active part
in community and environmental activities.The
South Yorkshire Forest scheme provided the ideal
opportunity to combine these interests in a local
and hands-on way.”
We were also pleased to receive a donation
towards tree planting at the new section
of Wombwell Wood from South Yorkshire
Pensions Authority who raised a fantastic
£320 by encouraging members to take up the
opportunity of a paper-free newsletter.
Beta Technology with spades at the ready
The Novotel team
Martin McCall from SY Pensions
& Krys Craik SYFP project manager
Capita brings South Yorks
Forest into the City
Sheffield’s biggest call centre, operated by
Capita, is enjoying spring growth after staff at
the Nunnery Square site joined the SYFP team
to plant 600 new trees on April 9th.
The decision to plant trees blossomed from
the company’s carbon reduction policy, and an
aim to offset carbon emissions through local
projects. Steve Robertson, Capita’s Business
Director explained: “We’ve been working hard
over the past few years to cut down on energy
consumption and decrease carbon emissions. In
the past year alone we’ve reduced our energy
usage by over 10% saving around 100 tonnes of
carbon, but we want to do even better. The staff
tree planting day was another way to balance
our carbon output; by working with the South
Yorkshire Forest to plant trees across the region,
we’re moving closer to achieving our carbon
neutral target.”
Richard Walker, SYFP Director said: “We’ve
been very impressed by Capita’s commitment
to the environment; not only are they taking
responsibility for their carbon emissions at every
level, they’re also making sure that their path to
carbon neutral status brings immediate and long
term benefits for local people and wildlife.”
Situated between The Parkway and the railway
line, the Capita site occupies a significant urban
space that the new planting will transform
into a vital link in the city’s wildlife corridor.
A mixture of wild cherry, rowan, silver birch,
willow and oak were planted around the site;
as they grow they will provide food and shelter
for birds and other wildlife, but the 1000 staff
will also benefit from the transformation as the
environment around them grows greener and
more pleasant.
For information about tree sponsorship
opportunities contact Kerry on 01142571199
Forestry for the future
The message that came from an event
celebrating the success of SYFP’s £5
million Objective 1 Forestry Resources
Grant (FRG) scheme was the need for
local authorities, regeneration agencies,
landowners, communities and businesses to
collectively seek ways to build on the scheme’s
environmental and economic achievements in
a post Objective 1 South Yorkshire.
“A revitalised woodland and forestry sector has
a key part to play in meeting the challenges of
climate change, the development of renewable
energy and wood-based businesses and
promoting attractive landscapes which serve the
needs of local communities.The FRG programme
has proved that woodland management works,
and has made a real impact on South Yorkshire’s
economy and environment.”
Speakers, including Mike Smith, Head of
Sustainable Development for Yorkshire
Forward and Sheffield City Council Woodland
Manager, Nick Sellwood, underlined the value
of forestry in the context of the regional
economy, and the importance of continuing to
support programmes like FRG, which not only
distribute money, but attract significant private
investment.
SYFP is currently looking at alternative funding
streams and partnership working to continue
the work of the programme and achieve
further sustainable growth for South Yorkshire’s
woodland and wood-based industries.
Since 2001 the programme has seen a
million trees planted, 450 hectares of new
forest established, brought 2000 hectares
of woodland brought back into good
management and supported 56 local timber
related businesses. The need for a continued
holistic approach was emphasised by project
manager, Krys Craik, who commented:
TURNING CORNERS
Mike Smethurst Woodturning has
been awarded FRG of nearly £18,000
towards a £36,000 workshop upgrade.
New workshop equipment including a
state of the art machine lathe are being
installed along with an eco-friendly hot
air heating system fuelled by wood
waste from the workshop itself. The
machine lathe will enable the swift
production of complex turned items
and Mike is confident that it will bring
in new business opportunities – so
much so that he is even taking on a
new member of staff. Alistair Farr, SYFP
Timber Industries Officer commented:
“The key thing we look for in a grant
application is the potential for growth
that will benefit the region economically
and environmentally. We want South
Yorkshire to benefit holistically from this
Objective 1 scheme so we’re thrilled
that Mike is taking on a new member of
staff and wish him great success in the
new workshop”
Finding new ways for forestry
BROOKFIELDS PARK COMPLETION
Work at Brookfields Park is now virtually
complete. A Forestry Resources Grant &
Creating a Setting for Investment funds have
provided new community woodland of 57,500
trees, landscape improvements and better
access at the former colliery site. Nearly
4000m of footpaths around the site now link
the area to existing networks, and what was
previously a mass of grey colliery spoil waste
has been transformed into new grassland
and wetland areas. Tree planting provided an
opportunity for community engagement and
Brookfields Park before planting work began
a fun day out for local school children. The
local area has suffered from economic decline
and deprivation and was previously very unattractive - deterring local investors. The landscaping
scheme has made the area a focal point in an economic investment zone of regional significance,
which has replaced at least 7,000 jobs lost following the closure of local coal mines.
Local children helping to plant
Mike Smethurst at work
CLAY WOOD ACCESS
FRG of £1500 has made it possible
for Sheffield City Council to create
a new disabled access link into Clay
Wood at the Cholera Monument
Grounds in Sheffield. The grounds,
a memorial to the 1832 cholera
epidemic, are listed under the English
Heritage Register of Historic Parks
and Gardens, and the area covered
by Clay Wood is part of the Norfolk
Heritage Trail. The new access link
will enable all visitors
to enjoy this
woodland and
all the history
surrounding it.
New trees and new leaves for Wombwell
A new network of paths has been laid and
90,000 trees at the planted at the Wombwell
Wood extension. The site will officially open
to full public access in early summer, but is
already being well used by local dogwalkers.
A community celebration and lantern
procession at the end of January introduced
children from 4 local schools to the site.
Ahead of the event, the children took part
in lantern and ‘new leaf ’ making workshops
led by greenspace arts organisation FieldArt,
where they considered healthy activities that
they would like to take place at the new
community space.
Wombwell Wood lantern parade
New home for Gallery 37
Gallery 37, Sheffield’s outlet for gorgeous
wood products made within the South
Yorkshire Forest, now has an equally
gorgeous building to call home. Known as
Hector’s House, the unique new timber
framed building situated at Ecclesall Woods
Sawmill has been created by Hector &
Cedric, one of the woodworking businesses
based at the Sawmill site.
Hector’s House
The quirky building with its asymmetrical roof
and shingle covered exterior is the first full
scale building made by Hector & Cedric, and it
stands as a stunning example of wood-based
eco-building principles right down to the last
sweep of lime render on the interior walls.
The project was 50% funded by a Forestry
Resources Grant, enabling Hector & Cedric to
develop the prototype building from concept
to completion, and securing a permanent
home for Gallery 37 - which will also act as a
visitor centre for Ecclesall Woods.
The new Gallery 37 will be officially opening
its doors for business in time for Sheffield’s
biggest arts event, Open Up Sheffield which
takes place during the last weekend in April.
The gallery is well worth a visit - whether you
want to buy locally made wood sculpture and
furniture, or simply pick up a free walking guide
from the unusual building before heading into
the woods to see the bluebells.
BLAZING THE BIOMASS TRAIL
Work to promote uptake of wood fuel as a sustainable energy
option, got off to a blazing start this spring as local authority
representatives, landowners and energy managers joined the South
Yorkshire Wood Energy Trail.The initiative, devised by SYFP Wood
Energy Officer Robin Ridley, provided the opportunity for interested
parties to see biomass technology in action and get a sense of site
requirements. Speakers with experience of establishing wood fuel
installations including Dick Bradford, Principle Mechanical Engineer
at Barnsley BMBC where a pro-biomass policy has been adopted,
shared first hand experiences and were on hand to answer individual
questions over lunch at the RSPB Old Moor centre.
The level of interest was excellent, confirming that biomass
has a significant role in fuelling the future. The Wood Fuel
project now aims to get information out to potential
business users through new leaflet called ‘Fuelling the Future’.
Designed to give businesses considering energy options an
introduction to various wood fuel systems, and to highlight
the preliminary considerations when planning a biomass
installation, the publication is available free from the South
Yorkshire Forest. Please contact [email protected]
if you would like one. Bulk copies are also available for
distribution at appropriate events.
Fond farewells and
CONFERENCE EQUATES
welcome
QUALITY ENVIRONMENT WITH aSYFPwarm
Education Officer Peter Machan has skipped
out of the forest for pastures new at Manor
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT
Lodge in Sheffield, where he takes up a new post
In February, the final conference on SYFP-led
trans-European Interreg lllb project Creating
a Setting for Investment (CSI), took place
in Liége. Project partners from Belgium,
Germany and the UK presented key findings
from test investment sites to demonstrate
how high quality landscapes can directly
stimulate economic growth.
Keynote speakers at the conference included
SYFP Director Richard Walker, who explained
the importance of the project for informing
sustainable development practices, along
with Nathalie Cousin of the Consil Régional
de Bretagne, and Francoise Lejeune, Head
of Liege Economic Development Agency,
who recounted their own regions’ transition
from post industrial decline towards
prosperity through significant environmental
improvements.
The CSI investment and research
programmes have been in action since 2004,
and will culminate in July with the publication
of The CSI Guidelines. The document is
expected to be a seminal reference point for
regeneration policy and practice and will be
launched at a special event in London. For
more information on the project visit www.
environment-investment.com
as Visitor Manager. Meanwhile, Admin Officer
Sarah Chapman has gone deeper into the woods
with her new position as Facilities Manager at
Ecclesall Woods Sawmill.
We wish them well in
their new roles and look
forward to collaborating
with them both on future
projects. Picking up Sarah’s
administrative reins, new
girl Nicola Schofield has
joined the team bringing a
New Admin
welcome wealth of organOfficer Nicola
isational skills to the office.
CONTACT
South Yorkshire Forest Partnership, 4 Park Square, Newton Chambers Road, Sheffield S35 2PH
Phone: 0114 257 1199 Email: [email protected]