Adding Value to Low Grade Timber

Status: To be completed by September 2001

Summary

This project has set up a trans-national network between northern Scotland, Nord-Trondelage in Norway and the Counties of Vasterbotten and Jamtland in Sweden. The aim is promote local value addition using low grade timber.

The four main project outputs are:

1. Developing the wood supply systems in each area through studies of the effectiveness and potential of different timber supply scenarios.
2. Developing sawmill networks through promotional materials, events and tests of timber processing and grading systems. See the ASHES website.
3. Developing value added timber products through product design and market testing
4. A study tour of wood processors.

Partners and Funders

The project lead partners are Highland Birchwoods, the Forest Owners Association in north Norway and the Faculty of Forestry at the Swedish Agricultural University.

Other partners in Scotland are the Forestry Commission’s Scottish Hardwood Timber Market Development Group. Wood School and the Association of Scottish Hardwood Suppliers. The other Norwegian partners are the Norwegian Association of Small Rural Sawmills.

The project is part funded by the European Union Northern Periphery Programme. Other funding comes from the Forestry Commission in Scotland, the Norwegian Rural Development Fund, and in Sweden, the Counties of Jamtland and Vasterboten, the Swedish Agricultural University and several small businesses are also donating their time to the project.