WORKING the Woods, a West Country based project, has published a guide to help people source local wood products and services in the West Devon area. The guide contains more than 100 local businesses and organisations from across the Tamar Valley and South Devon AONBs and Dartmoor National Park areas. The listings include woodland management services, tree surgery, timber suppliers and local sawmills, furniture makers, traditional builders and timber framers, wood energy and wildlife management. It has been split into easy to use categories and contains a location map and useful contacts. The launch of the guide this autumn is the culmination of 12 months of work for Jacqui Orange, project manager, and designer Steve Carreck. Jacqui said: ?It?s taken longer than we anticipated to pull all the information together but I think it has been well worth the wait. ?We have been promoting the guide at shows and events across Devon and Cornwall throughout the summer and we have received excellent feedback from people.? The guide is encouraging people to buy wood products locally. It is estimated 85% of wood and timber products used in the UK comes from overseas. Jacqui said: ?We had such a tremendous response from local businesses who want to be included in the guide we are hoping to have a constantly updated version available on the website soon.? The work has been funded by the Forestry Commission, Countryside Agency, Dartmoor National Park, South Devon AONB, the Tamar Valley AONB, the Silvanus Trust, and South Hams District Council. Copies of the guide are free and available at local visitor centres, garden centres, farm shops and booksellers across the Tamar Valley, West Devon, and Dartmoor area. For more information contact Jacqui on 01579 351316.
