Chop down on forests
Chop down on forests
Circulating fears that about 150,000 hectares of forest and woodland in England were confirmed today.
Environment Minister Jim Paice confirmed reports that the government is considering selling off the Forestry Commission in a letter sent to all MPs.
"[Our] intention is to fundamentally reform the public forestry estate, with diminishing public ownership and a greater role for private and civil society partners," said a statement on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) website.
"This will be a new approach to ownership and management of woodlands and forests, with a reducing role for the state and a growing role for the private sector and civil society. 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."
"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."
The controversial decision will most likely pave the way for a huge expansion in the number of holiday villages, golf courses, adventure sites and commercial logging operations throughout Britain as land is sold to private companies.
"This will fail on all levels," said Malcolm Currie, a negotiator for the union Prospect. "Three thousand employees' jobs and futures will be under threat as the land is pulled from under their feet and thousands of jobs in the private sector – in planting, growing, felling, hauling and milling wood – will be placed in peril. It's a prime example of the absurdity of the government's argument that the private sector will compensate for job losses in the public sector."
A spokesperson for the Woodland Trust said: "If revenue from these sales does not find its way back into Forestry Commission income streams, which looks likely, it could seriously threaten the commission's ability to support the future planting of new native woodland, which is a major priority for us and for government response to the climate change agenda, as well as into restoration of planted ancient woods."
Both the Thatcher and Major governments attempted to privatise the Forestry Commission in the 1980s and 1990s but failed following intense pressure from conservation groups and lack of interest by industry.
Since then, however, land has become more valuable, not just for timber but for providing "environmental services" such as flood control, climate change measures and amenity.
In England the commission is subsidised by £30m a year, but generates an additional £63m a year in income. A government economic study released earlier this year calculated that it provides £2,100 in value per hectare per year if benefits such as erosion protection, pollution absorption, carbon sequestration, health provision are included.
Mark Avery, conservation director at the RSPB, said: "The future ownership and management of land that has high public value should be carefully considered. The proposed land sales are driven by the need to generate quick cash, but they must not be at the expense of protecting our natural capital, which is irreplaceable."