Charcoal Consultancy

Children learning about charcoal in classroom

Practising sustainable forestry means managing our forests in a way that meets our needs at present but that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Opening up the woodland floor is vital to the health of our woodlands. The increased sunlight allows flowers, birds and butterflies to flourish.

Consultantcy Services

The Dorset Charcoal Company offers the following consultancy services;

Local Charcoal Market Valuation and Appraisal
Education of various forms/ Technologies of Charcoal Production
Full Tuition on Charcoal Production using the mobile ring kiln method
Economics of Charcoal Production including diversification potential
Factors Effecting the Establishment of a Successful Charcoal Business

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Yurt in Mongolia with mountains in the distance

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Mongolian students inspecting a stack of birch logs

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VW Campervan in evening sunshine in Mongolia

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Yurt in Mongolia with mountains in the distance

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Mission 1 & 2 Background

In addition to providing individual tuition to individuals from overseas (Canada and Germany) looking to start their own charcoal production businesses, Jim was contracted in 2016 and 2017 by GIZ GmbH from Germany to undertake the following project in Mongolia;

The programme “Biodiversity and Adaptation of Key Forest Ecosystems to Climate Change II“ (2015-2018) implemented by the GIZ is aiming to contribute in the conservation of biodiversity through protection and sustainable management of selected ecologically significant areas of Mongolia considering climate change whilst improving the living conditions of the rural population.

The programme’s partner Vocational Training and production Centres (VTPCs) are in a position to carry out a demand-driven forestry vocational education and training through improved curricula and practical teaching methods in close cooperation with private forest enterprises. VTPCs provide long- and short-term trainings in forestry trade to high school graduates, adult learners and forest user group members.

Forests provide a wide range of benefits at the local, national and global levels. Mongolia is distinct in terms of the type of forest resources and utilisation patterns, which vary by ecological zone and socio-cultural area.

Given this situation, there is a need for forestry sector, in particular and rural household generally to benefit from the utilisation of non-timber forest products.

For instance, in Mongolia most of the purchased charcoal is produced abroad while the country has rich sources for making quality charcoal, which could well substitute the imported products.

This assignment is related to the achievement of Output C of the programme and in collaboration with an expert, it aims to equip the VTPC trainers with a proven technology and techniques for producing charcoal, understanding charcoal value chain, acquiring marketing skills and utilisation methods that the trainers could transfer their knowledge and skills to the learners.

Mission 1 & 2 - Objectives of the Assignment

The objectives of the assignment are:

British charcoal burners are fighting back. Our charcoal may be more expensive, but it has its advantages. It relies on good woodland management an- therefore comes at a cheaper environmental cost, and it burns cleaner and longer than imported charcoal because it is denser.
It is also ready to cook on in 15 minutes and does away with the need for firelighters or lighter fuel.
To implement a Fact-finding mission and elaborate a Plan on charcoal production in local conditions and a plan on construction of an iron charcoal kiln with the local counterparts

To train 12 trainers of partner VTPCs in Charcoal production (use of charcoal kilns, OHS issues, charcoal making techniques and some entrepreneurial skills) in collaboration with the counterparts
To elaborate handouts for the trainings
Develop guidelines for making charcoal kiln and charcoal production techniques
The training is a short-term training with two-week durations and aim to be more practical than theoretical to equip learners with skills for charcoal making in the field and to support the counterparts to produce non-timber forest products, in this case, charcoal.

Mission 3 - Background

Mongolia’s forests with its distinct types of forest resources and utilisation patterns provide a wide range of benefits at local, national and global levels.

In order to improve the living conditions of the local forest communities through the use of technical skill trainings and pilot technical approaches as well as to improve the access of forest user groups and marginalised households to income-generating activities, which build climate resilience of the forest ecosystems, there is a need in forestry sector to benefit from the utilisation of non-timber forest products, such as pine nuts, fuel wood, birch charcoal among others.

Given the situation, in 2016 the Programme has initiated the production of high quality fuel wood and charcoal from birch wood, through the training of trainers by the international expert in charcoal making techniques and production.

Two subsequent missions were implemented at the school forest with the GIZ’s partner Vocational Training and Production Centres (VTPCs) in cooperation with private forest enterprise.

These trainings as well as the follow up short-trainings conducted later on by the local trainers proven to be productive and well-sought by the VTPC s learners, adult learners-forest workers and forest user group members. In the meantime, the value chain analyses for charcoal was done by the ECO Consult Sepp & Busacker Partnership in December 2016 and charcoal burning records were taken during the trainings.

This assignment is related to the achievement of Output C of the programme and in collaboration with the international expert and the FAOMN project, it aims to upscale the Charcoal making training and production to equip the VTPC trainers, officials of the Forest Units, workers of FE’s and FUG members with the theoretical and practical knowledge of the techniques for producing charcoal, understanding charcoal value chains and acquire marketing skills and utilisation methods.

Mission 3 - Objectives of the Assignment

The trainings are short-term trainings with 5 days duration each, organised in three sessions over three weeks and it aims to be theoretical with practical applications, to equip learners with sufficient theoretical knowledge and practical skills for charcoal making in the field and to support the counterparts to produce birch charcoal.

Please contact Jim Bettle for more details.

To conduct theoretical sessions blended with practices for 18 trainers from partner VTPCs, Forest companies and Forest Units, FUG members in Charcoal making and production (design and use of charcoal kilns, OHS issues, charcoal making techniques and entrepreneurial skills e.g. value chain, marketing etc.).
To conduct short-term skills trainings in Charcoal making and production for 9 FUG members
To elaborate a short–term charcoal making skills training module and handouts for the trainings