APPLIED CONSULTANCY FROM
I am a Chartered Forester and Chartered Environmentalist with over 34 years experience working in the forestry sector in the UK and internationally.
I have a strong record of leading and managing change and have been prominent in repositioning the UK forest industries sector, for long a source of environmental controversy, as an international exemplar of good practice.
My early career was spent supporting the establishment of commercial reforestation projects in both Jamaica and the Solomon Islands before I returned to the UK to pursue my interest in working at a strategic level to influence public policy. I took up an appointment with the Timber Growers Association, later becoming CEO, and was then appointed Executive Director of the Forest Industries Development Council; in all I was a prominent advocate of the British forestry sector's policy interests for 16 years.
My particular strengths lie in developing strong strategic visions, innovative problem-solving, influencing public policy, implementing institutional change, building multi-stakeholder partnerships and in publicly representing organisations. I have successfully managed not-for-profit organisations for 23 years.
In 2004, I established Wilson Applied Consultancy (WAC) to offer an individual and bespoke consultancy service. In addition to my core project of facilitating the UK Woodland Assurance Standard partnership's work, I undertake specialist consultancy assignments having completed projects in the following fields:
Certification and public policy-related projects
Sustainable forest management certification
Sustainable biomass certification
Forest carbon certification
Forestry-related public policy.
Facilitating and managing membership and partnership organisations
Developing strategic visions and plans
Facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships and developing partnership-based solutions
Managing member organisations and small charities
Industry cluster group development.
Media projects
Latest news on my projects is posted on the My News column on this page and a full list of projects undertaken is posted on my Projects page.
If you think I might be able to help you please get in touch.
Peter Wilson BSc (Hons.) (Wales), MSc (Oxon), FICFor, CEnv
"Hello and welcome to the website for Wilson Applied Consultancy."
Evolving SBP role
For 3 years, Peter led the development of SBP as a new global certification scheme for woody biomass. With the SBP scheme now well established and moving beyond the start-up development phase, Peter has stood back from his leadership role but continues to support the project with a focus on discrete projects. See more>>
UKWAS revision process milestone
A Final Draft of the UKWAS 4th Edition has been completed by the UKWAS Steeering Group following a 3-year revision process facilitated by Peter. The next step is submission of the draft to FSC and PEFC for their approval/endorsement. See more>>
Central Point of Expertise on Timber Procurement (CPET)
A four-person Technical Panel, including Peter, has conducted an assessment of international timber certification schemes for legality and sustainability under the UK Government's Timber Procurement Policy. See more>>
Sustainable Biomass Partnership standards launched to EU
The SBP has launched its new SBP Framework standards to representatives of the EU Institutions at an event in Brussels. The development of the SBP Framework was facilitated by Peter and comprises standards and independent certification procedures. Together these provide a certification scheme enabling users of woody biomass for energy production to demonstrate the legal and sustainable sourcing of its feedstock and to provide the data required to assess its carbon footprint. See more>>
Scotland's Finest Woods Awards
After 5 years at the helm of SFW, Peter has stood down with regret due to other commitments. He developed and implemented a business plan for what was a struggling organisation thereby putting the charity on a sound financial footing with a refreshed and invigorated annual awards programme. See more>>
Sustainable Biomass Partnership
Peter has been appointed by seven major European electricity and heat generators to facilitate the development of a new Sustainable Biomass Partnership and a certification framework to demonstrate that woody biomass, mostly in the form of wood pellets, to be used in large European thermal power plants is responsibly sourced. SBP's objective is to develop the tools necessary to provide assurance that woody biomass used for large-scale energy production complies with requirements on sustainability and biomass legality in European Union countries. See more>>
UK Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) incentivising verification project completed
Peter's latest report in support of the development of the WCC focuses on incentivising WCC projects to retain certification and was presented to the Forestry Commission's Carbon Advisory Group.
The project was undertaken for Forestry Commission Great Britain. See more>>
Regulations made simple
Peter is busy helping the Forestry Commission and CPET in drafting guidance for UK woodland owners on how to meet a variety of regulatory requirements relating to the UK Forestry Standard, tree felling, EIAs, the EU Timber Regulation, UK Government's timber procurement policy and forthcoming woody biomass criteria.
Preparing for next UKWAS revision
The first step towards the next UKWAS revision process took place with Peter meeting FSC UK and PEFC UK to update the UKWAS standard-setting process to take on board the lessons from the 2009-11 revision and the latest requirements of FSC and PEFC. See more>>
Read Peter's article on the history of forest certification in the UK
An article by Peter Wilson published in the Commonwealth Forestry Association Newsletter (March 2012): From discord to accord: a decade's work building consensus on sustainable forest management. Read here >>
wilsonapplied.com
Wilson Applied Consultancy 27/2 North West Circus Place Edinburgh EH3 6TP UK
T: +44 (0)131 226 4665 F: +44 (0)700 608 7832 M: +44 (0)7740 434 220 E: mail@wilsonapplied.com