NEWS
New awards for Confor dinner 2020 New awards for leadership, innovation and communication are to be presented at Confor’s expanded Forestry Dinner & Awards Evening in February 2020. The new prizes join the well-established Dedicated Service to Forestry Award as the programme is expanded to reflect the growth of the industry. Confor CEO Stuart Goodall said: “The 2019 dinner was a great success, the forestry and wood sector is buoyant and we want to reflect that by recognising excellence. The Dedicated Service to Forestry Award is the premier industry award, but we
wanted to reward excellence more widely across the sector. We are delighted that we are able to award three new prizes, thanks to great support from our sponsors.” Mr Goodall urged the industry to make nominations for the new awards to ensure they go to truly worthy winners at the dinner, at The Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 25 February. Fergus Ewing MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy for the Scottish Government, is guest of honour at the dinner, alongside Sir Harry Studholme, who is stepping down as chair of Forestry Commission.
GET INVOLVED If you wish to nominate someone for one of these Awards, please send the following details via email to stefanie.kaiser@confor.org.uk no later than 28 January 2020. • Name of person nominated • Organisation and job title of person nominated • Which award you are nominating them for • Reason for nomination (summarise in 150-200 words, adding any relevant links if necessary) • Name, mobile number and email address of person nominating. For full details, see the Latest News and Events pages of the Confor website www.confor.org.uk
The three new awards Future Forestry Leader Award Sponsored by James Jones & Sons Ltd For an individual with outstanding skills, who has the potential to be a leader in the forestry and timber sector - someone showing initiative, passion and making a real difference to the sector. Changing Attitudes Award Sponsored by Scottish Woodlands Ltd For an individual or business promoting the forestry and wood sector in a positive and impactful way - through personal engagement, campaigning or communication, social media or other ways. Innovation and Research Award Sponsored by Forestry Commission and Forestry & Land Scotland For a business or individual delivering successful innovation and/or research which has clearly demonstrated greater productivity or efficiency in the forestry and wood industry.
New plant passporting arrangements start soon Members are reminded that the new arrangements for plant passporting will be introduced on 14 December 2019. Plant passports will be required to accompany the movement of all conifer roundwood and roundwood of Sweet Chestnut and Plane in the UK, together with bulk bark, brash and wood chipped on harvesting sites. Christmas trees over three metres and decorative foliage from such trees are also covered by the new controls. Sawdust, wood chips and slabwood with bark are currently considered to be a lower risk and are not expected to require Plant Passports. Companies responsible for issuing Plant Passports will have to
become Registered and Approved Professional Operators. Such companies can now apply to the Forestry Commission for provisional authorisation. Companies that are already FC Registered Forestry Traders will be able to use their current registration reference, until a new system is introduced by Defra, which will then provide a new RAPO number. The requirement to demonstrate competence can be best met by completing the on-line learning resource which FC have developed and retaining a copy of the test score. Due to the General Election, Forestry Commission are in Purdah and are not authorised to answer any detailed questions on plant passporting at this time.
14 FORESTRY & TIMBER NEWS • December 2019
After Purdah, please contact Ian Murgatroyd at FC, tel: 07767 251379, e-mail: ian.murgatroyd@forestrycommission.gov.uk Read all you need to know about plant passporting in your print copy of FTN October or online www.confor.org.uk/news/ftn-magazine CONFOR.ORG.UK
