Background

The applicants are a co-operative organisation who carry out conservation coppicing throughout the AONB mainly for conservation charities and sell local charcoal and other woodland products from their yard at Slackhead as well as through other local retail businesses.

The group were keen to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by burning wood and wanted to buy a mobile retort burner that combusts the wood more efficiently. The mobile nature of the machine means that it can be taken to sites that would otherwise be uneconomic to coppice. As well as the reduction of greenhouse emissions during the burn process, and reduction of emissions through the transport of most charcoal bought in the UK (currently mainly imported from Nigeria and Paraguay) the co-op are keen to produce biochar. Biochar is a carbon rich substance that may be used to rejuvenate soil and sequester carbon.

The Arnside and Silverdale AONB noted that the project would help to increase biodiversity by providing additional coppice habitat. Rotational coppice consists of structural mosaics within woodland habitat and is important for many UK BAP species and as well as keeping an historic skill alive and helping to ensure people could work in rewarding jobs in the AONB

The project was awarded funding based on 80% of the cost of the retort. The grant award for the project amounted to £16368

Objectives

Objective 1: Landscape

The mobile kiln would add viability to otherwise economically marginal woodlands, thereby providing options to restore neglected coppice into perpetually self-funding rotational systems which enhance the landscape character of the AONB.

Objective 2: Natural Capital

The project will contribute to the management of nature reserves with well researched natural capital and comprehensive biodiversity management plans addressing SSSI, SPA and SAC criteria that specify coppice as “essential management”. Much of this coppice has been part-funded through charcoal making over the years although the benefits have to date been offset somewhat by the production emissions that this project aims to solve.

Objective 4: Habitats & Species

Rotational coppice consists of structural mosaics within woodland habitat. This is key to the conservation of 7 UKBAP species currently targeted locally: high brown fritillary; pearl bordered & small pearl bordered fritillaries, duke of Burgundy; brown hairstreak; and dormouse. The mobile kiln will add robustness to the economic model that supports the continued management of these areas and the potential to add new coupes to increase connectivity. By reducing emissions the project will reduce charcoal’s contribution to the changing climate which threatens these species.

Some of the sites we have worked on have areas of BAP habitats which border and coincide with the habitats of the species listed above (specifically W13 Taxus baccata, and upland W8 & W9 fraxinus mercurialis woodland). Habitat managers will be offered the option to use the kiln (subject to training) to convert woodland waste to sustainable saleable products to offset the cost of essential management.

Objective 6: Historic and cultural heritage

Coppice is a key feature of the AONB’s living history. Public understanding of our local coppice heritage will be enhanced through our charcoal training courses and volunteer days using the mobile kiln.

Objective 8: Land management and rural livelihoods

Rural livelihoods are maintained as a consequence of the condition of the woodlands, which is reliant on the continuity of their management.

The mobile kiln will offer increased robustness to the system through the potential to create an additional product from marginal out-of-rotation coppice

Objective 12: Understanding

The mobile nature of the kiln means it can be transported to shows for demonstration purposes. Training will also be offered so that volunteer work parties can be involved in making their own charcoal on their sites. The products produced will allow engagement with a customer base much wider than those who normally engage with conservation organisations.

Activity

The retort was purchased and delivered mid-March, along with training for the staff to ensure its safe use.

Outputs / Outcomes

The retort is now with the co-op and is about to start its first summer of burning. The Coppice co-op will hold training sessions for other local farmers and organisations. Some farmers are keen to trial burning their hedge cuttings to make biochar and see how that effects the carbon content of their soil.

Learnings/key to success

• The applicants were able to deliver the project because they started the process early.
• There were no Countryside Stewardship rates so three quotes needed to be obtained, this proved challenging but achievable.
• The time between the application being granted by the AONB and the project needing to start was limited, and it wasn’t possible for the co-op to deliver the training they hoped to deliver in this financial year.