Woodland centre to boost green businesses

The Working Woodland Centre at Maulden Wood near Bedford will include a visitor centre and business units. It will act as a hub for information and services in woodland management and carbon reduction.

The scheme is currently seeking planning permission and has just secured £600,000 worth of funding from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).

It aims to encourage the development of enterprises in growing sustainable markets, such as wood fuel and timber, as well as support the development of skills in areas such as environmental management.

The centre, which is the brainchild of independent environmental charity, the Greensand Trust, also aims to encourage the sustainable management of Bedfordshire’s woodlands and improve the county’s biodiversity.

The provisional plans include visitor facilities, cafe, shop, education and community facilities as well as workshop ‘incubator’ units for wood and woodland-related businesses on Forestry Commission (FC) land.

The trust is working in partnership with the Bedfordshire and Luton Economic Development Partnership, the FC and Bedfordshire County Council, on the project.

EEDA chair Richard Ellis said research showed that only 37 per cent of Bedfordshire’s woodland was being actively managed, but demand for local wood fuel and timber was growing.

“The Working Woodland Centre could help businesses supply these new markets and be an asset to the local community,” he said.

Gill Welham, the Greensand Trust chief executive, said the centre would also provide infrastructure to rebuild Bedfordshire’s woodland communities, restore woodland heritage and create sustainable job opportunities for local people.

 “The Working Woodlands Centre will also allow more woodland to be managed, which will improve biodiversity by creating and maintaining wildlife habitats,” she added.