Linking sustainable practices throughout Europe
[EXP] Oxfordshire Woodfuel Programmes “Logs for Labour”, an exchange between volunteers and woodland managers in UK
The promotion of the production and sustainable use of woodfuel in Oxfordshire
Rural topic(s): Sustainable forestry
Type: Success story
Date of writing: May 2, 2016
Author(s) of this page: Riki Therivel
Organization(s): Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment
Summary:
The Oxfordshire Woodfuel Programme aims to promote the production and sustainable use of woodfuel in Oxfordshire
Text:
Background: Key activities to date have been the development of an Oxfordshire woodfuel standard for smallscale providers, training sessions, promotion of biomass boilers, and the (by now wellknown) “Logs for Labour” programme.
Activities. The key current activity is the “Logs for Labour” programme which matches up volunteers who are happy to help manage woodlands with woodland managers who could use the help and are happy to provide logs in return. Logs for Labour is a win-win-win: woodland management, free renewable fuel and good exercise.
Outlook
Challenges: Continued funding! To date, the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment has funded the programme coordinator. We are looking at ways of getting funding from the volunteers and woodland owners who profit from the programme.
Next steps. Last year we started to run ‘Introduction to Logs for Labour’ courses. The participants were so enthusiastic about these courses that we will run them again in the future, but are also considering more advanced courses, for instance on woodland management and use of tools.
Notes:
Presentation given during Market of Initiatives of the 1st workshop on sustainable Forestry, 17-20 March 2016
Contact:
Oxfordshire Woodfuel Programme
Contact: Riki Therivel
E-mail: L4L(A)oxonwoodfuel.org.uk
Website: www.oxonwoodfuel.org.uk
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Informations:
Scale of intervention : Local
Keywords: locally-based economy, woodland products, wood fuel, voluntary work, woodland management, firewood
Places: United-Kingdom
Actors: private sector, inhabitants, forest owner
Methods: training/capacity-building, voluntary work