Members of Ruperra Conservation Trust in Caerphilly are setting up their own business selling logs and firewood as part of a drive to raise funds for their woodland work.
The trust, which was set up in 1996 and owns Coed Craig Ruperra woodland, near Draethen, is establishing a community interest company which will be known as Ruperra Countryside Services.
Treasurer Sue Price explained: “We rely a lot on grants to fund our work and that could be affected in the current financial situation so we have been looking at other ways of raising income.
“The company will use the by-products from its woodland work, selling firewood and logs and coppice products such as bean poles or hurdle poles. Under a community interest company everything after the costs are taken out has to be ploughed back into the community which in our case is our woodland work.
“We have already started selling bundles of logs in a small way and the idea is to grow our capacity gradually as we build our customer base. Log burners are proving increasingly popular with the cost of gas and electricity rising so we expect plenty of interest.
“Our intention is not to undercut small local suppliers but I would hope that people will support our work in the Caerphilly area by buying from us rather than heading down to one of the huge garden centre chains.”
Councillor Phil Bevan, chairman of the Ruperra Conservation Trust, said: “We are always looking for volunteers to help with our conservation work. Details of our volunteer days are listed on our website www.ruperra.org.uk. Volunteer Sundays are normally held on the first and third Sundays of every month. All are welcome and people can stay for as long as they want.”
The new company, which will be up and running very shortly, is also planning to run educational courses on subjects as varied as hedge laying to biodiversity surveys and learning how to manage a woodland.
The Trust has 250 members with around 20 regular volunteers turning out to maintain the woodland, including tackling invasive plants such as rhododendrons. Over the last 10 years Trust members have planted 30,000 native broadleaved trees on the woodland, which is open to the public at all times.
Caerphilly Councillor Ron Davies said: “From October to March the Caerphilly Woodlands Trust works from 10am to noon every Sunday. We would also be delighted to welcome any volunteers to join our existing enthusiastic crew undertaking a whole variety of habitat improvement works .Unpaid – but free tea or coffee. This work is being done for the benefit of the fascinating and varied biodiversity at Coed y Werin”.
Further details from the CWT website at www.caerphilly.org.
