Major campaign launched to stop trees going up in smoke

A month of high-profile activity aimed at putting pressure on the UK government to change the subsidy regime for electricity generators which burn the UK wood resource began in London on November 7.

Members of the public were asked to back a petition by the Stop Burning Our Trees campaign which wants to highlight the folly of paying electricity generators to use the limited UK wood resource for large scale power generation.  

Such an action puts in jeopardy domestic wood processing, will drive up carbon emissions, and push up the cost of everyday wood-based products.

This public-facing campaign will use advertising on London Buses and underground carriages to carry the campaign’s message; trees will be wrapped at selected sites across London to draw particular attention to the issue.

The Wood Panel Industries Federation, which represents particleboard, MDF and OSB producers, is backing the Stop Burning Our Trees campaign.

Alastair Kerr of the WPIF said: “The domestic wood resource is of insufficient size to cope with the demands of large scale electricity, but unless government amends its policy, these energy generators will destabilise the domestic wood market and threaten any significant new investment into wood processing in the UK.”

Supporters of the campaign are able to sign the petition at www.stopburningourtrees.org