Forests for sale GRAHAM USHER
Into the woods today
Opposition to the proposed sell-off of Britain’s forests has concentrated largely on questions of public access and possible entrance charges. But our woodlands are also places of wonder where the soul can be refreshed as well as the body
K
ielder Forest in Northumberland is Europe’s largest planted commercial forest, where countless people enjoy walking amid Norway Spruce trees.
Ospreys have returned to nest there after an absence of nearly 200 years and one of the country’s last remaining red squirrel popu- lations is thriving. It is one of the North-East’s best-loved places, protected through being part of the public forest estate in England in the care of the Forestry Commission. For more than 90 years the Forestry Commission has been responsible for England’s forest areas. While in its earlier his- tory there were the horrors of serried ranks
of straight-line conifer plantations marching across the landscape, the commission has expanded and diversified its work, including growing nearly 70 per cent of England’s soft- wood timber, and protecting some of this country’s most endangered habitats and rare species. More than 40 million visitors every year enjoy the forests. In Kielder they enjoy tourist trails for walk- ers and mountain bikers, public art installations and an observatory benefiting from the darkest night sky in England. As elsewhere, local people are involved with the development of forest design plans. This results in felling areas being well planned,
Explore the rich traditions of our
Catholic Christian faith, of liturgical celebrations, of art, music and poetry, of resourcing, and of community-building in a multicultural setting.
2011 LOS ANGELES RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CONGRESS
NCONGRESS
and replanting taking account of topography, archaeological sites and rare biodiversity habi- tats, as well as introducing more native species. Now the Government wants to change its ownership, as it does for the entire forest estate. Plans announced by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Caroline Spelman, include options for selling or leasing forests to commercial operators or community groups, and offloading the nation’s precious ancient and biodiverse heritage woods to new or existing charitable organi- sations. The proposals have attracted outrage, and last week the Government appeared to back down in the face of such strong public opposition. In fact, it still wishes to “dena- tionalise” the forests and has only put on hold the sale of the 15 per cent that it had already agreed to sell in the next four years. Since our forests are so loved by the public, we correspondingly expect the highest levels of good stewardship, something that sits uncomfortably with an economically (or even ideologically) motivated approach at a time of government cuts. It is true that many forests in private ownership are well managed. But the public forest estate belongs to us all and is incredible value for money, costing us just 30p each a year. The commercial forests and their timber sales largely fund both the ancient heritage woodlands and those with high public amenity value, and you start to unpick that at your peril. If the commercial forests are sold off or leased, the funds will simply not be there to manage the loss-making forests. For example, the historic New Forest costs
US$70 FOR ADULT DAYS 12 | THE TABLET | 19 February 2011
the Forestry Commission £2.9 million a year to manage, but this is part-funded by receipts from other places. Under the sell-off plans, the New Forest, together with the Forest of Dean, would be handed over to an existing or new charitable body. But how would a char- itable body raise enough to protect and manage these living national treasures? It is also suggested that other forests could be offered to community groups for purchase
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40