Quote:England forests sell-off: Government outlines plans
Environment secretary launches three-month consultation on intended £250m sale of England's forests and woodlands

England's forests: the time to act is now

John Vidal, environment editor
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 27 January 2011 12.53 GMT



The government has outlined plans to sell off England's public forests.

The government today outlined plans to sell off public forests in the biggest change in land ownership for more than 80 years.

England's premier "heritage" woodlands such as the Forest of Dean and the New Forest will be handed free to a new national charity or to exiting charitable trusts to manage in the national interest, said the environment secretary, Caroline Spelman. But communities and environment groups will be invited to buy tens of thousands of hectares of land at the market rate which they will be able to run them themselves. In addition, large areas of commercial woodland will be sold on 150-year leases to companies.

The forests sell-off could raise £150-250m over 10 years but should not affect existing access rights or environmental quality, said Spelman, launching a three-month consultation on the intended disposal.

"State control of forests dates back to the first world war, when needs were very different. There's now no reason for the government to be in the business of timber production and forest management. It's time for the government to step back and allow those who are most involved with England's woodlands to play a much greater role in their future," she said.

All 258,000 hectares (ha) of English woodland has been provisionally divided into four categories, ranging from "heritage" to "multi-purpose", "small timber and "large commercial".

Heritage woods, thought to be around 80,000ha in total including the Forest of Dean and the New Forest, will continue to be publicly funded. A new charity is expected to be set up to manage these "jewels in the crown" but organisations such as the Woodland Trust could be invited to take them over.

A further 25% of English woodland will be offered at commercial rates to community groups who will be able to apply for existing grants and will be under no obligation to "improve" facilities. But the long leases they will be offered will on the condition that they maintain existing access.

Large swaths of commercial forest, such as Kielder Forest in Northumberland, will be put on the market on long leases which will force the new owners to continue existing access. According to sources in the government, conditions put on the land could go beyond existing legal minimum and include restoring ancient woodland, maintaining signs and requiring that wood is grown to high certification standards.

But officials at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that there was still considerable uncertainty over whether communities might choose to buy and manage land, as also confusion about the legal access to land that the Forestry Commission presently leases rather than owns outright.

In addition, little consideration appears to have been given to the 25% of the English forestry estate which is health, bog, farmland and quarry.

Moreover, said campaigners, there remains confusion over what happens to forests that are not taken up by communities.

Green groups and trade unions said the plans would be bad for wildlife and the public. Over a quarter of a million people have now signed an online petition opposing the sell-off.

The TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, said: "The government is barking up the wrong tree with these proposals. Quite rightly, public alarm is growing at the privatisation of our most treasured natural assets. People appreciate the way our forests are managed for the nation by the professional staff of the Forestry Commission. Volunteer foresters or private companies won't do the job as well and the careful balance between timber, public amenity, biodiversity and conservation will be lost."

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said: "Britain's woodlands are precious for millions of people, a source not only of great curiosity but also great fulfilment. They offer important habitats to much loved wildlife, as well as enjoyment and beauty to families up and down the country. It's no surprise that there has been an upswell of public concern at the prospect that our island's natural life might be auctioned off at a government-sponsored jumble sale. The government must now guarantee not only the complete right of access to all our forests but also the budget for their protection and restoration."

But David Cameron's official spokesman said fears were unfounded: "We are not going to sell off our heritage forests to the highest bidder, we are not going to remove public access to forests there will be strict rules in place to prevent that happening. There is a consultation. We are going to have that consultation and listen to people's views and then come to some conclusions."

There is a range of potential buyers for forests, from the private sector to community groups, said the spokesman.

David Guyatt Wrote:The really very wealthy can buy these forests, die, and thereafter pay not a penny of their estate in death duties.

So, as I keep saying, we better get used to tugging our forelock in the future.

Photo, Hawthorn by Carlene Gildea

• An area the size of two medium sized counties like Meath will be in Private ownership, which could entail having Private security companies with razor-wire fencing in place to prevent the sovereign citizens of Ireland accessing their old rights of way, areas of commonage, archaeological and sites of cultural significance.
  
• Some of our most valuable native woodland sites will be threatened, the last remains of our ancient wild places, the refuge of our native flora and fauna.
  
• The opportunity to transform the green desert of monocultural chemical dependent exotic species that passes for state forestry, back to a natural Native woodland model will be lost.
  
• The public will be unable to prevent unsustainable development happening in their woodlands, like quarries, windfarms, incinerators, nursing homes, golf courses, etc.
  
• All the benefits from the forests, now needed more than ever, will be removed from local communities. These include firewood, wild fruits, nuts & mushrooms and basic access to nature for walking, mountain-biking etc.
  
• Access to rivers and water rights, fishing, will also be taken away.
  

The Brian Boru Oak, Co. Clare, is believed to be over 900 years old.

• Since the McCarthy report of June 2009, the selling of Coillte, and Ireland's entire public forest estate, has been on the cards.
  
• The Woodland League, have always suspected that Coillte was set up a) as a vehicle to facilitate the extraction of huge grants from the EU, and b) to consolidate, and sell off, a major Public asset, the largest land bank.
  
• In November of 2009 disgraced ex Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was appointed chairman of a Swiss finance company with forestry interests. They have, openly expressed their interest in buying Coillte.
  
• Coillte was created in 1989 and "gifted" the land bank of the Forest Service, (up till then managed under the Department of Agriculture). It was set up as a semi state body, with two shareholders, the Minister for Finance Albert Reynolds holding 99 shares, and the Minister for Energy Michael Smith(connection to energy and resources, Shell etc) with 1 share, on behalf of the public.
  
• The Land Commission set up in the late 1800's to redistribute land to the people after the victory of the Land League, was dissolved on the same day, and all its remaining assets were transferred to Coillte. There is no record of the size of this land bank or what other assets came with it, e.g. properties, etc.
  
• Coilltes first act was to commission a geological survey of the land beneath the trees, the results of which are not in the public domain. The new owners may inherit rich mineral deposits.
  
• From its inception, Coillte was excluded from FOI (Freedom of Information) making it impossible to obtain information regarding its business, its employees operate under the Official Secrets act.
  
• Bizarre indeed, for a company whose remit is the planting and growing of trees to increase the public forest estate and manage this gift wisely.
  
• Since 1989, Coillte have posted 300 million Euros in profits.
  
• They have acted as the largest unofficial land developer in Ireland and have sold thousands of acres in that period, including the 400 acres to facilitate Shells refinery in Mayo.
  
• In their 21 years existence, they have made one contribution to the public exchequer -- 2.5 million Euros, last year.
  
• This coincided with Coillte requiring a loan facility of 400 million Euros, from a government in financial crisis. This is 100 million euros more than all of their profits over 21 years. The loan was approved by the Dail during Christmas week 2009.
  
• Coillte claim they are now in debt to the tune of 179 million Euros.
  
• The CEO, David Gunning has stated the traditional forestry model in Ireland is no longer valid, when giving a presentation to the joint agriculture committee in 2009.
  
• Recently, Coillte's estate was valued by a State agency at 1.2 billion euros, approx 1000 euros per acre.