Renewables

In certain strategic areas, upland sites currently utilised by forestry also present a suitability for wind-energy projects.

Whilst there is a drive for afforestation, there is a somewhat conflicting drive for deforestation from upland sites where deep peat or other sensitive habitats are present. With changes in land use in rural areas to meet biodiversity, ecology and carbon objectives, and a drive for increased supply of energy from renewables, forestry has found itself aligned with wind-development projects.

Wind-energy projects to which we have contributed have achieved a 100% success rate in gaining planning consent.

We have been involved in the preparation of detailed forestry papers for inclusion in a wider Environmental Statement to support applications for planning consent. In such cases, well structured rationale backed by strong forestry expertise is essential in forming an environmental statement to support an application. Such statements are built on detailed analysis of the existing forest resource, and a feasibility study on how the existing forest crop can be removed as part of the development, as well as the site restoration measures that should be implemented.