APFs exhibition aims to answer all your queries
APFs exhibition aims to answer all your queries
Thinking of investing in new
forest machinery but want to
compare available brands? Or
is advice needed on services
which could help you better
manage your woodland? The
Forest Machinery Exhibition
might be the answer
THE Association of Professional Foresters exhibition, held this year at the Zetland Estate, near Richmond, North Yorks, on 23-25 Sept is the UKs main forestry and woodland show.
Open from 9am-6pm on the first two days and 9am-5pm on the Friday, the £10 entry fee includes a show catalogue and car parking.
More than 200 exhibitors, demonstrating all types of machinery and equipment – from the smallest chainsaw to the biggest harvester – will provide the means for visitors to glean all that is new in the world of forestry.
And there are also tree nurseries, services for woodland owners and sources of advice on safety and training, while The Forestry Authority will on hand to answer queries on matters of grants.
But the show is not just for those involved with large-scale forestry. It caters for all involved in growing trees from those with just a few acres upwards. Machinery can be seen working in woodland representing the full forest rotation, from new planting to clearfell. These will include mobile sawbenches for conversion on site, woodchippers and shredders, forestry tractors and harvesters, ATV equipment and planting machines which will be working on nearby grass fields. These working demos are on-going throughout the show.
For the really inquisitive, there are also a number of seminars. Subjects to be covered include health and safety, establishment and buying a woodland.
The exhibition will also provide farmers with all the latest ideas on how to utilise timber to add value and, for those who want to sell their timber, advice on marketing will be available.
This could include a visit to the woodland craft area, where exhibitors will demonstrate crafts, such as charcoal burning, hurdle making, pole lathe turning and chair making, as well as their representative associations.
Probably the most contentious issue in forestry at the moment is timber certification. At the exhibition, representatives from the two sides of the debate – the Forest Stewardship Council and Forest Industry Council of Great Britain – have stands opposite one another which could result in some lively debate for those concerned. *