Case Studies

Ignite - Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Ignite, RDI’s award winning wood fuel training course, has been delivered at locations across the UK. This summer the course was delivered very successfully in Wales for the first time. 

After initial investigations in Wales in 2007 through local contacts in the forestry and woodfuel sectors t, we saw that there was enough demand to run four courses throughout 2008; two in North Wales and two in South Wales.

South East of England Widlfire Group - enabling partnership working

The South East of England Wildfire Group (SEEWG) exists to provide a regional partnership approach to tackling the growing risk of wildfire. The regional group brings together three landscape scale working areas for operational delivery; New Forest, Home Counties and Ashdown Forest.

Consultancy for the East of England

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Deer Management in Northumberland

During the summer of 2007 Adam Bedford, an MSc student at Newcastle University’s Centre for Rural Economy, undertook at research project on Deer Management in Northumberland.  Adam undertook the research through a placement jointly funded by Northwoods and Northumberland National Park as part of his MSc in Rural Development and Resource Management.

RDI's Woodfuel Expertise assisting Kirklees

Like many local authorities, Kirklees Council is actively looking at ways to reduce its carbon footprint across its extensive property holdings, whilst at the same time owning large areas of woodland, many of which despite providing significant public amenity, were largely unmanaged and thus in declining condition. Recognising that there was an opportunity to solve two problems at once, Kirklees engaged RDI to undertake a survey of its woodlands, make recommendations for management and provide an estimate of the potential woodfuel resource.

Great Yorkshire Show Forestry Arena - delivered by RDI

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society, organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show, have contracted Rural Development Initiatives (through Yorwoods, the Yorkshire woodland initiative hosted by RDI) to manage the forestry arena at the Great Yorkshire Show since 2005. The Great Yorkshire Show is one of the UK’s premier agricultural shows, with an annual attendance of over 130,000 and a reputation for high quality exhibits, competitions and displays.

Red Meat Export

RDI acted as Project Manager and banker to the Red Meat Industry Forum's Red Meat Export project.

The Red Meat Industry Task Group was set up in 2005 as part of the North East Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy.   The group is responsible for driving forward an agreed action plan designed to add or retain value for the livestock sector within the region, research export opportunities, stimulate integration of the red meat supply chain and improve efficiencies within livestock production and the supply chain.

RDI Research Leading the Way

As part of the support offered to the forestry and biomass sectors, RDI undertook a study of the contribution of biomass to the economy of north east England.

The research, carried out by RDI as part of the region’s NEWHeat project and backed by One North East and the Forestry Commission, also suggests that ultimately, in terms of economic value, biomass could become the most important solid fuel for heating.

Woodfuel Producer Groups

RDI operates two woodfuel producer groups in England and has advised on the establishment of several more.  Producer groups are increasingly being realised as a key tool in bringing the benefits of expanding woodfuel markets to small businesses, farmers and other woodland owners, RDI are providing strong leadership in the field of supply chain co-operation.

BioeNErgy Delivers Real Benefit to Rural Businesses

Park End Farms, based in Northumberland, secured funding in round two of the bioeNErgy programme to further develop and strengthen their woodchip operations.  Their farm business diversified two years ago by purchasing a chipper to supply their own woodfuel requirements and to meet the needs of other chip suppliers across the region by offering a contract chipping service. 

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