RDI have expertise in a wide range of rural development fields, and we have an excellent understanding of the diverse challenges and opportunities facing businesses based in rural areas. Our staff have experience in everything from rural business support and affordable rural housing, to rural tourism and forestry. A number of staff have degrees and MScs specifically in rural development.
- Northumberland Flood Group
- Rural Tourism
- Thirsk Furniture Trail
- Red Meat Export
- Deer Managment in Northumberland
We have particular expertise in the fields for forestry and farming:
Forestry
RDI, if you'll pardon the pun, have their roots in the UK's diverse forestry sector. Almost all our senior managers have spent time in either front-line forestry businesses or their public sector equivalents, and our staff and industry initiatives are well regarded by private and public sector organisations alike. Our contact with the businesses and agencies active in the forestry and timber sectors is underlined by the influential roles many of our staff hold on regional and national committees, and the strong partnership projects we have created with organisations such as Forestry Commission England, Forestry Commission Scotland, BSW Timber and the Highland Council.
As a company, our understanding of the British forestry sector is excellent, and we pride ourselves on maintaining meaningful contact with those working in it at all levels. This could be through assisting an owner-operator haulier with a business plan and grant application for a new timber crane, or sitting on a a regional forestry forum and representing the needs and opinions of those working in the sector who are too busy to attend themselves. With many of our staff having worked in forestry businesses, we feel we have a real empathy with the issues facing the modern forestry sector. This has helped us to design and deliver a great many projects that have brough real benefits to the businesses and individuals working in it.
A selection of our projects can be viewed by following these links :
- Stirling and Tayside Timber Transport Group
- West Yorkshire Working Woodlands
- Small Scale Certification Pilot
- Thirsk Furniture Trail - Hardwood marketing project
- Ravine WoodLIFE
- New Native Woodlands for Nidderdale AONB
- North East Forest Investment Plan
- North Yorkshire Sustainable Woodlands Project
Farming
Much of RDI's work is based around the excellent understanding that we have of the UK's diverse farming sector and the challenges and opportunities facing it. This stems from the passion we have to work with farmers, our willingness to engage with individuals and groups in the farming sector (whatever the location and weather!) and the credibility which our experienced staff bring. We have a few folk from farming families on the staff which often helps!
We have been involved with a wide range of farming related projects from the outset. Many of these have stemmed from the presence of undermanaged woods on farms, and we have developed a range of projects and interventions to not only bring these woodlands back into better management but also generate a return for farmers.
Working with farmers and others in the agriculture sector on behalf of partners is a core competency for RDI. You can find out more about some of the practical ways we've been helping farming enterprises by viewing the projects below.
