Caroline Spelman: We will do our best for the Forest
Caroline Spelman, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on why the Government will protect the Forest:
I KNOW how passionately people feel about the Forest of Dean, not least because it is a conversation I regularly have with my colleague Mark Harper MP, and I can totally understand why.
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Reassurances: Caroline Spelman
I grew up a stone's throw from Hatfield Forest and brought my own children up on the outer reaches of the Arden Forest, so I get why people feel so protective over the many benefits woodlands like this one offer.
So let me take this opportunity to categorically assure readers of The Citizen that the Forest of Dean will continue to enjoy the strongest levels of protections for access rights and biodiversity.
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We can guarantee this, because in the consultation we make explicitly clear that heritage forests, such as the Forest of Dean, will not be sold off.
Instead we will consider the benefits of moving the ownership or management of heritage forests into a charitable trust so that they can continue to have the protection and support they require.
There has been speculation that the scope of powers in the Public Bodies Bill would still leave the door open at a later date for sale by any subsequent government. So to give 'belt and braces' protection, to make sure the Forest of Dean is protected in perpetuity, we will also be moving amendments to the Public Bodies Bill so that these assurances are backed up by force of law.
Not only that, the significant range of protections that are already in place, such as those in the Countryside Right of Way Act and wildlife legislation, will continue to safeguard the Forest.
On that basis, visitors and residents of the Forest of Dean will be able to continue enjoying the full access rights and benefits of the Forest. Any moves to a charitable trust model would be taken slowly in order to make sure we get it right. Forests like the Forest of Dean are, of course, expensive to maintain, but as they are a national asset it is right that they are adequately funded and I recognise this will have to be a consideration in any changes we make to how it is managed.
This consultation isn't about solely conserving our woodlands, it is about improving them by putting specific measures in the consultation which aim to restore Plantation Ancient Woodlands and by putting greater environmental safeguards in place.
As a veteran of trying to keep three children occupied in the summer holidays, I know that access and recreation opportunities in our forests are essential to letting people experience the unique atmosphere of England's forests.
By finding ways of improving the financial position of England's forestry estate we get a better outcome for forests like the Forest of Dean in the long term – putting it, and others, on a more sustainable financial and environmental footing.
We propose to lease the commercial forests out so that they can continue supplying the UK timber trade, but by retaining the freehold we will be able to apply stringent conditions which will conserve access rights.
Comments
by john belcher, Joyford Hill, Christchurch
Tuesday, February 01 2011, 9:42AM
“On the question of Law. The 1981 Act ensured the safety of the FOD, but this govt is changing it. So can any Govt. with a majority vote. We must always be vigilant.”
by john belcher, Joyford Hill, Christchurch
Tuesday, February 01 2011, 9:38AM
“Smoke and mirrors. Caroline Spellman is determined to get her way without showing it.
We all knew what they were up to from the start. We want the status quo please.
If Mr Harper thinks that he can now emerge from hiding and bask in the glory of a saviour of the Forest; think again Mark.”
by TigerRice, Gloster
Tuesday, February 01 2011, 8:20AM
“Ms Spelman, if you really want to do the best possible thing for The Forest may I be so bold as to suggest that you resign along with the rest of your self interested government.”
by zlataroy, Cheltenham
Friday, January 28 2011, 3:28PM
“"The Forest of Dean, will not be sold off.
Instead we will consider movining the ownership into a charitable trust". But WHY? The Forestry Commission has years of experience of managing the forest for recreation, not just in Glouestershire but nationally. What sort of job will some tin-pot local group of do-gooders make of it? And where will the get the money? If they can't charge for access it will be from selling advertisement space to the likes of Kraft and Walls, I expect.
The whole idea is an insult. If it ain't broke - don't fix it. Leave our forests alone, Spelman!”
by Quedgeley Guy, Quedgeley
Friday, January 28 2011, 12:19PM
“The Stupid Woman still doesn't get it!
The Forest belongs to the Nation. Not the Government. Not the Forestry Commission. Not even You or Me but to itself as a living Entity,in it's own way. Ideally it should be left alone. Realistically it should be for all to enjoy openly and fully without the hand of commerce destroying one iota of it's innocence.”
by geraint, gloucester
Friday, January 28 2011, 10:53AM
“Charitable Trusts don¿t make me laugh - I wouldn't trust them any more than I would this duplicitous government. The Steiner-run Novalis Trust for example famously closed off public access paths in Box Wood near Stroud and policed it with CCTV!”
by Quasi, Cheltenham
Friday, January 28 2011, 10:12AM
“The government approach on this issue seems to have changed quite a lot in the last few days. It now seems that there was never any intention to sell the forests but to hand them over to charitable trusts. Even this has been tweaked, and now they would only be leased to these charities. The government has, apparently, severely underestimated the amount of resistance they would encounter on this and every day now seems to bring a different idea. If they keep on retreating at this pace it cant be too long before they get to the position we all want which is leave things alone.”