Firewood is a by-product of forestry care

We have seen unprecedented sales of firewood across the local estates we manage and with the popularity of wood as the fuel of choice, this demand seems set to continue over the winter months.

What we have seen is people beginning to turn away from oil, electricity and gas towards cheaper and indeed greener options.

At a time when traditional timber markets have slowed dramatically, the surge in demand for firewood provides landowners with an excellent opportunity to secure a healthy revenue from their woodlands.

As oil and gas prices are on course to rise continually over the next decade, we see no reason for wood fuel's good times to end any time soon.

The relative transparency of purchasing firewood is also seen as a positive alternative to often complicated energy packages.

It looks as though firewood will play a vital role in future energy consumption, so there has never been a better time for estates to take advice on how to make the best use of precious forestry resources.

Firewood can act as an excellent bi-product of forestry management, as well as a potentially lucrative enterprise in its own right.

In these difficult times for the economy and with adverse weather affecting farms and estates locally, rural businesses will benefit from being proactive in order to efficiently maximise income.

I would advise all those with forestry resources to consider how they might best exploit this upcoming surge in demand.

Those with forestry located close to major transport links will be best placed to benefit.

By David Surtees-Dawson, of Savills, Telford.