Wilson embarks on fact finding Cairngorms National Park visit

A free day out to encourage people to live in a greener way will be held on an estate in the Cairngorms National Park next month.

The Woodfuel Fair, which will be held on Wednesday May 27 at the Alvie Estate near Aviemore, will show how woodfuel can be used as a renewable, environmentally-friendly alternative to fossil fuels.

The event will mark the start of a series of activities within the Park over the next two years to promote the use of woodfuel to reduce climate change.

It will show people, whether they are householders or in business, how they can use resources on their doorstep and reduce climate change in the process.

The Fair is free and there will be refreshments and if people have to travel from far away the CNPA will help them with their travel expenses.

Eric Baird, the CNPA’s vice-convener, said: “Forests, and the timber they produce, are a key natural resource in the National Park. Using woodfuel to replace fossil fuels adds value to this resource, whilst helping to combat Global climate change. So we can help the environment and support the local economy by developing our use of woodfuel.”

Alvie House is heated by woodfuel, and the Estate runs its own onsite supply business.

The Woodfuel Fair, which will run from 10am to 4:30pm, will give people the chance to see the Alvie Estate boiler and the wood chipper and drying shed at first hand.

There will also be a marquee featuring trade displays from suppliers and installers of woodfuel equipment, along with talks about using woodfuel and where to look for funding to assist with capital costs.

Anyone is welcome to come to the event on the day but those wanting to attend the talks, which will take place in separate sessions between 10am and 12:30pm and 2pm and 4:30pm, are advised to book.

The Fair is part of the Clim-ATIC project, which receives funding from the EU’s Northern Periphery Programme. It is being jointly organised by the CNPA, Highland Birchwoods and Forestry Commission Scotland.

Clive Bowman, Clim-ATIC Project Coordinator, said: “The EU Clim-ATIC project is supporting this wood fuel fair and future activities in the area to promote the use of wood as a sustainable and secure form of local energy.

“Climate change will lead to many challenges for the Cairngorms, and a global disruption to energy supply may well be one of the impacts we will see in the future, and so an easy adaptation we can make now is to improve the Park community’s opportunities to use local renewable resources for heating their homes.”

Anyone wanting more information about the event can contact Kate Christie on 01479 870535 or email Kate Christie or Fiona Strachan .

Click here to download the Woodfuel Fair flyer.