The proposed privatisation of the nation’s forests and the ensuing public outcry led to an embarrassing u-turn by the Government. CIWEM’s response to the Independent Forestry Panel, chaired by the Institution’s Honorary Fellow the Bishop of Liverpool, outlines our vision of forestry for generations to come.
Some things are too rare and too precious to be left to the mercy of financial speculation and our ancient woodlands are a prime example. CIWEM’s response outlines a vision for a forest and woodland estate that provides clearly defined public and environmental benefit that is secure against a changing climate and provides a lasting legacy trumping all economic and commercial considerations.
Government should be custodians for future generations seeking value beyond price.
However the Government continues to frame their argument in dubious economic terms. The running cost of the Forestry Commission is 30p per person per year. Putting this figure in the context of the financial value attributed to purely the carbon sequestration value of forests by the highly praised National Ecosystems Assessment, of £680 million/annum, the forest sell off seems profoundly misled.
CIWEM’s response offers evidence-based practical measures through considering the crucial role forests play in relation to the arts, conservation, education, awareness, social inclusion, sense of place/identity, physical and mental well-being, recreation and amenity, community cohesion, biodiversity, catchment management and water supply, to name a few.
CIWEM’s Executive Director, Nick Reeves, says:
"Yet again the Big Society agenda has been a veil for public cuts, the Government has a once in a generation opportunity to co-ordinate all forestry and woodland interests and to harness the strong emotional feeling that people have for trees and woodland environments. The momentum and strength of public feeling shown in this debate should provide the political will to make significant and effective change and any decision made should be based on consequences, not ideology".
