Landowners urged to sell timber for fuel use

Experts predict demand for wood fuel will grow rapidly over the next decade, as more woodburning boilers are developed to meet green standards.

But it is also forecast that publicly-owned woodland will not be able to meet demand, leading to a Europe-wide project to bring private woodland into use.

According to the Forestry Commission, South Yorkshire is one of the most forested areas in the region, with 11,465 hectares (28,662 acres) of woodland.

But much of that is in private hands and owners are being targeted to bring more of their land into management to produce timber, possibly by working together as co-operatives.

Rudie Humphrey, wood fuel co-ordinator with the Forestry Commission in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "We know that the take up of wood fuel boilers and installations is on the increase and South Yorkshire is a hot spot, with all four local councils investing heavily in the green technology in preference to oil and gas for their buildings.

"We believe demand for wood fuel will surge 25 per cent in Yorkshire and the Humber over the next few years, yet well over half of South Yorkshire's woods are under managed. There's a major opportunity staring us in the face."

The EU has set a target of having 20 per cent of Europe's renewable energy production achieved through wood fuel combustion by 2020 and provided the 100,000 funding.

Regions in France, Slovenia and Latvia have also been given funding alongside South Yorkshire to increase the amount of wood fuel on the European market.