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Events 30 April 2018 Improving the sustainability of sheep farming Workshop and business development meeting 2 May 2018 Intercropping in arable systems Field lab meeting at Bockhanger Farms in Kent News 18 April 2018 New technical guide on dock control Combining the best methods for successful control 10 April 2018 Health and Harmony – will a Green Brexit deliver? Make your voice heard in Defra consultation Press releases 12 April 2018 Transitions to Agroecological Systems: Farmers’ Experience New report sheds light on how UK farming can meet the sustainability challenge |
Towards Eco-energetic CommunitiesAcronym:TWECOMContract period:1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015Project webpage:http://www.twecom.eu/Main funder:INTERREG 4b NWE Programme/ Ashden TrustContact staff at ORC:Ms. Sally WestawayOther staff involved:Meg Chambers, Mary Crossland,Jo Smith, Bruce Pearce, Catherine Gerrard, Laurence SmithProject aimsThe aim of this project is to demonstrate that local short chain systems using biomass from landscape elements for local energy or heat production are economically feasible. Through realizing these short chain systems and bringing together experiences from different partners and regions in North Western Europe, we want to demonstrate that this currently unused biomass from landscape elements can contribute to local sustainable energy production, with respect to ecological, social and cultural aspects. Project Objectives:
ORC's roleWe have worked with farmers, land owners and the local community to develop a pilot energy co-operative using woody biomass from local landscape elements. This pilot has been used as a platform to generate information to feed into the other project work packages. The ORC had a joint leadership role for Work Package 2 - assessing, monitoring and evaluating the impacts of the energetic use of landscape elements. We have been adapting the rapid assessment tool developed to assess UK organic systems to assess the sustainability impacts of harvesting energetic landscape elements, as well as developing new protocols to assess the impact of hedgerow coppicing for woodfuel on biodiversity Key achievements![]() The project has brought farm hedges back into focus and sought to answer questions about whether biomass can be sustainably and economically harvested from hedgerows, and as such, whether hedges can be a viable source of woodfuel? Over the course of the project we have looked at these questions from various different angles investigating the impacts of hedge harvesting on our resident dormice population, hedgerow flora and soil carbon dynamics. We have tested machinery big and small to identify the best harvesting methods, weighed woodchip and measured our hedges, interviewed farmers and provided training and discussion forums to really get to the bottom of these questions. The two main project outputs
The best practice guide is based on the machinery trials carried out on Elm Farm and Wakelyns Agroforestry. It also pulls together current and previous research, related projects, policy recommendations and management guidelines. The guide is aimed at farmers and landowners, agricultural and forestry contractors, conservation organisations and local authorities interested in managing hedges for woodfuel. It focuses on the logistics and practicalities as well as methods and machinery selection. It outlines how and why you might manage your hedges for woodfuel, includes advice on how to select appropriate hedges, how to plan the management, what the machinery and processing options are as well as the economics and any legal considerations. The main objectives of the biodiversity protocol (see below) are to:
Project leader and partnersLead PartnerRegional Landscape Lage Kempen, Belgium Other Partners
PublicationsSummary: TWECOM project, Interreg IVb NWE programme Best Practice Guide: Harvesting woodfuel from hedges Growing local energy. Hedgerow harvesting machinery trials report. Technical Guide: Green heat with small-scale wood combustion Report: The carbon sequestration potential of hedges managed for woodfuel Report: Adapting the PG tool to incorporate management of landscape elements for woodfuel Hedgerow Biodiversity protocol 2015 (4 files)Other outputVideos available on TWECOM website ORC videos on youtube
Photo albums
All sources of funding
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