OVER the last few months, local landowners, farmers and consumers of wood fuel have worked together to set up a local wood fuel hub.

The South Devon Coastal Renewable Energy Network: SDCREN, and the Devon Hedge Group have provided support with funding from the Regen SW Community Energy Accelerator Devon County Council fund.

The funding has supported a tour of comparable woodfuel hubs in the area and a practical ‘wood fuel from hedges’ day in South Pool.

A tour on the Coleridge Community Bus in December 2015 took 20 members of the community to Brimpts Farm, Dartmeet, Hillyfield, South Brent and Occombe Farm, Paignton, where a range of wood fuel operations and processes were demonstrated.

On January 16, at Lower Combe, South Pool, 15 people, led by Craig Dunton of Devon Habitats, learnt and applied the traditional skills of hedge laying and extracting wood fuel.

The Accelerator Fund is providing start-up assistance to community energy projects in Devon to help groups deploy community-owned renewables. Applications under this objective were able to apply for up to £4,500 of funding for projects.

Alongside this, Regen SW will be managing the fund and providing support to the group on making best use of the investment and engaging as many members of the community as possible.

‘We are very pleased with the interest shown by local people in developing a wood fuel hub’, says Peter Sandover, local Architect and coordinator of SDCREN. ‘Farmers and landowners are considering the financial opportunities from wood fuel and a range of ages are trying their hand at practical coppicing and hedge laying’.

‘This project is one of 17 community energy initiatives that Regen and Devon County Council have awarded more than £50,000 of funding to in the last year, said Olly Frankland, Project Manager at Regen SW. ‘The fund and support are about helping communities become more environmentally, socially and economically resilient.

‘We hope that the initial interest in the Wood Fuel Hub will continue and inspire more people to join in.’

Peter Wotton, local land owner and founder member of the South Devon Wood Fuel Hub, said: ‘I hosted the practical hedge laying event last weekend and was very impressed by the energy and enthusiasm of all the participants.

‘We had a great day out as well helping in the management and maintenance of our woodlands and hedgerows.’

The funding runs until the end of March 2016 has allowed the Wood Fuel Hub to engage with farmers, landowners and the community to investigate in detail the equipment and services required of a hub.

Those interested in the concept of a wood fuel hub are encouraged to attend the next free event, which will be a workshop on Tuesday, February 16, at the Slapton Field Studies Centre, starting at 6pm.

Over the evening, you will see practical use of wood fuel at the centre, plans to develop the hub further and set a timetable for future hedge laying events and tours.

To book the events, email Peter Sandover at: [email protected] or phone 01548 531980.