Public opposition soars to forests sell-off

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Public opposition soars to forests sell-off

An overwhelming 84 per cent of the British public agree that woods and forests should be kept in public ownership for future generations, and only 2 per cent disagree, a YouGov poll has revealed.

The Guardian (Saturday January 22) reported Prospect's concerns about the loss of 850 jobs in England and the research on climate change and tree diseases carried out by the Forestry Commission.

Lorraine Adams, Prospect's Forestry Commission branch president and a research scientist, told the newspaper only public ownership would preserve the added value – beyond timber – of forests as havens for wildlife and recreation. She said current rules only preserved access on foot, not for bicycles, horses, cars or visitors with disabilities.

The Sunday Telegraph also led on the growing opposition to the sale, and published a letter signed by 100 leading public figures, including the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, poet Carol Ann Duffy, actress Dame  Judi Dench and author Bill Bryson. A new campaign website, Save England's Forests, contains a wealth of valuable arguments against the proposed sell-off.

Meanwhile, Caroline Lucas of the Green Party has tabled an early day motion (1199) in parliament, so please press your local MP to support it.

Prospect and other unions are lobbying parliament on February 9 against the public bodies bill, which would enable sales to go ahead.

The YouGov poll surveyed 2,253 adults between 13-17 January 2011 and is representative of all UK adults. It found that:

• 84 per cent of Brits think that England's forests should stay in public ownership for the benefit of future generations, and 58 per cent are in strong agreement

• just 2 per cent disagree with keeping the forests publicly owned

• a substantial 75 per cent actively oppose the government's measures to sell off some, or all, of England's forests and woodlands

• only 6 per cent were in favour of the plans to sell.

Wildlife at risk?

The government has invited widespread criticism with a pledge to sell 15 per cent of the public forest estate by 2015. The land is currently managed by the Forestry Commission but would be sold to private companies or charities, which, the government claims, will improve the way that the forests are run.

However, critics have objected to the sale on the grounds that it might make it more difficult for the general public to access woodlands, claiming that wildlife and even the forests themselves may come under threat from timber companies and developers if they are not publicly managed.

A staggering 178,350 people had signed the petition opposing sell-off by Sunday January 23.


  • 23 Jan 2011