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Lakeland Group to Rally Against Government Forest Sell-Off Plans

Save Lakeland's Forests has criticised the Government's plans to transfer public forests to new owners.

The group has accused Ministers of trying to pull the wool over people's eyes and says the proposals would be a disaster for environmental protection and for public access for walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders.

Lord Clark of Windermere, a former Chairman of the Forestry Commission, says: "The Government is trying to convince people that this is not privatisation. The fact is that their plans would mean selling off vast swathes of our public forests, in places like the Lake District, on long leases to the private sector.

"These proposals would lead to a serious reduction in access to our public forests and undermine the important environmental work that the Forestry Commission does on our behalf."

Although the consultation has only just started, legislation currently being debated in Parliament will give the Government the power to sell off all the public forests at any point in the future. At present they cannot sell more than 15%.

Above: Dalby Forest, home of 2010 and 2011 rounds on the MTB World Cup is Forestry Commission land. The long term security of our public forests is vital to the continued development of mountain biking as a sport and recreational activity.

Mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington says: "Our public forests are already much smaller than those in most other countries and we need to preserve what we have for the benefit of every one. I urge all those who value these wonderful green spaces to join the campaign to keep our forests in public ownership and public management."

Save Lakeland's Forests is organising a rally at Grizedale Forest on Sunday (30th January) to give people a chance to show the Government that they want to keep these forests in public ownership and management.

The rally will take place at 1pm next to the main car park in Grizedale Forest. Speakers will include Lord Clark, broadcaster Eric Robson and Jack Ellerby from Friends of the Lake District. For more information visit www.savelakelandsforests.org.uk

Jack Ellerby says: "If you love woodlands and enjoy walking or riding in local Forestry Commission woods, now is the time to stand up and join the campaign to keep these woods in public hands and under public management.

Above: Many of mountain biking's prime riding locations, like here at Grizedale's North Face trail, are built on Forestry Commission land.

"The Forestry Commission gives us free access to walk or run, orienteer, climb, cycle, horse ride, bird watch, picnic and simply chill out in their woodlands. There are no guarantees that any public access, except to walk will be kept after the woods are sold off.

"In the Lake District and Cumbria the Forestry Commission has restored hundreds of hectares of ancient and native woodlands, while many privately owned woodlands stand neglected and unmanaged.

The Government is suggesting that some ‘heritage' woodlands could be taken over by other organisations or local communities while so called ‘commercial' forests will be sold on long leases to the private sector.

The reality is that most of the public forests - such as places like Grizedale and Whinlatter - are a mixture of the two. Save Lakeland's Forests fears these, and many other, forests will be under threat of being transferred to the private sector if the Government goes ahead with its plans.

Only 18% of England's forests are owned by the public compared to an average of 30% in the European Union as a whole. The United States Forest Service also manages a massive 193 million acres of public forests.

Eric Robson says: "It is clear that there is a huge amount of support for keeping these forests in public ownership and management. The Forestry Commission does a lot of vital work to maintain and improve access to the public and enhance wildlife habitats, which would be threatened if these forests are handed over to other companies and organisations.

"If it ain't broke it's simply foolish to try fixing it. We want to keep all of our public forests - not just some of them. We do not support the Government selling these forests - whether that means selling them outright or selling them to the private sector on a long lease. The Government should keep its hands off our forests."

Over 600 people have already joined the Save Lakeland's Forests Facebook group or have started following @SaveLDForests on Twitter since the group was set up two weeks ago. Nationally well over 240,000 people have now signed a national petition organised by 38 degrees.

There are nearly 40 forests and woodlands across the Lake District such as Grizedale, Whinlatter and Ennerdale.