Much of England's forest land will be sold to private owners
The coalition Government today confirmed reports that large tranches of publicly owned forestry will be sold off.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it intended to fundamentally reform the public forestry estate, with private owners and ‘civil society partners’ taking over much of the Forestry Commission’s land.
The confirmation of the widely leaked plans came in a letter sent by Defra Secretary of State Caroline Spelman to MPs.
In the letter, she said: “We are committed to shifting the balance of power from ‘Big Government’ to ‘Big Society’ by giving individuals, businesses, civil society organisations and local authorities a much bigger role in protecting and enhancing the natural environment and a much bigger say about our priorities for it.
“We envisage a managed programme of reform to further develop a competitive, thriving and resilient forestry sector that includes many sustainably managed woods operating as parts of viable land-based businesses.”
The Public Bodies Bill, which was published by the Cabinet Office today, contains sweeping powers to abolish or reform public bodies beyond those detailed earlier this month in the Government’s ‘bonfire of the quangos’, will clear the way for the privatisation of much of the Forestry Commission’s land in England.
The Cabinet Office said: “Where proposed changes have implications for the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Government will continue to work closely with them to develop and implement changes.”
Defra’s plans have caused consternation among walkers, mountain bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts, who fear recreational access will be curtailed by private owners of woodland and forest. An online petition by pressure group 38 Degrees had, at the time of writing, attracted almost 27,000 signatures against the sell-off.
Defra Secretary Caroline Spelman
However, Ms Spelman said: “Full measures will remain in place to preserve the public benefits of woods and forests under any new ownership arrangements. Tree felling is controlled through the licensing system managed by the Forestry Commission; public rights of way and access will be unaffected; statutory protection for wildlife will remain in force and there will be grant incentives for new planting that can be applied for.”
When the plans were first revealed, Green MP Caroline Lucas said: “If Government plans mean vast areas of valuable forest being sold to private developers, it will be unforgiveable act of environmental vandalism.”
And Allan MacKenzie, secretary of the Forestry Commission Trade Unions, said: “We will oppose any land sale. Once we’ve sold it, it never comes back.
“Once it is sold restrictions are placed on the land which means the public don’t get the same access to the land and facilities that are provided by the public forest estate.”
Open Spaces Kate
29 October 2010It will be essential that public access is dedicated in perpetuity on all forests before they are sold. In England and Wales this can be done by dedicating access under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The access can be for walkers, riders and cyclists. In addition, public paths should be dedicated and added to the definitive maps, so that there are secured routes when it is necessary to restrict access for forestry purposes.
Much of the freehold Forestry Commission land is already dedicated, but the leasehold land is not. This is the least that the government can do to secure public benefits before it flogs off the land.
Maz
29 October 2010Typical conservative spivvery 0 sell off our national assets to their spiv freinds. A disgrace !!!!
G Daly
30 October 2010You are quite right Maz. Another Tory ploy to steal or land and sell it to their pals for their profit, not ours. Not far down the line they will also end up vandalising the land and denying us access - just you watch!!
v denicolo
30 October 2010i believe this is just the top of the iceberg. This so called coalition (really Tory) government has either completely lost the plot or they should all be sent to a mental asylum
William wade wilkins
31 October 2010No surprise here really - just another opportunity to sell off our heritage and public amenities to their friends.
Capitalism has no real sense of morality or of community - its all about profit, and land is a basic way of investing capital and making profit from it.
Would be interesting to look at what the trespass laws actually are at the moment and how quickly they may be changed to deny any sort of public access.
We could be in for some acts of civil disobedience via mass trespasses as I don't think the Condems will change their minds on this one - too much money/property involved for them and their mates.
Bastards!
Mike Merchant
31 October 2010As far as I'm concerned, representing as it does public ownership, public accountability, free access and in recent years enlightened management, the Forestry Commission DOES represent the Big Society. I could also mention its education, outreach and information work, some of which is excellent. Big Money by and large isn't interested in these things. This selloff is great news for the, as ever, true blue land management and land ownership industries. Lib Dems should hang their heads in shame.
Russell Mills
31 October 2010The previous Conservative administration had plans to sell of the nations forests, only thwarted when the Labour party came to power.
This government wishes to carry on where the previous Tory government left off, privatising the nation in the name of ideology and private enterprise, (eg capitalist greed).
The Liberals are helpless in the face of the tory political machine, surely they cant approve of this?
Ken Bonsor
31 October 2010What price blanket monoculture? At least the Forestry Commision got the message, as a comparison of Ennerdale now with thirty years ago will testify. Mixed planting does work but blanket conifers do not. Acidification of the ground, lack of diversity in forest floor flora (if indeed anything will grow as a result of lack of light) and serried rows of non-indigenous species will be the order of the day in the pursuit of quick profit.
Have we forgotten so soon, the avarice of the likes of Cliff Richard and Terry Wogan when the previous Tory government gave tax advantages to the sort of afforestation that this legislation will produce? And do we also not recall the dire threat that assailed the Flow Country as a result?
"By their legislation shall ye know them"