A concerted effort to encourage more companies to lend financial backing to the wood. for good campaign is underway.
Charles Trevor, managing director of the campaign, said wood. for good is already talking to companies in Ireland and will be taking its message to the Baltic states.
He added: “We are also doing a stakeholder brochure mailing, initially targeted at around 90 companies. It paints a picture of why you can’t afford not to be a member of wood. for good
“We are discussing ways in which we can persuade UK industry to take a more financial role in preparation for January 1 when the new funding comes into force.”
The Nordic Timber Council (NTC) has approved funding of wood. for good until the end of December this year, but has said it wants to see increased input from its British partners. The UK contribution to the multi-million pound initiative is set to rise to around 50%. (TTJ 17/24 May).
David Bills, director-general of the Forestry Commission and vice-chairman of the wood. for good campaign, said: “The NTC’s generous funding over the first three years accounted for 70% of the total budget. This allowed us to advertise on TV, an essential part of establishing the campaign, which took about 30% of the budget.
“The NTC now wants to roll the campaign out in other countries which will, of course, be beneficial to the UK.”
Mr Bills said he was confident that the overall UK contribution to wood. for good’s funding will grow.