Our Forests

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In: comment, Our Forests

Government fails to meet deadline to answer questions on forests disposal proposals. It is over three  months since Our Forests sent in its submission seeking answers on the public forest disposal debacle, yet no final response has been provided, despite officials initially telling us, “we will be able to sortContinue Reading

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In: forestry, policy

Investing in growing trees as a profitable venture is a challenging endeavour.  Perhaps today, more than ever before, there are a number of factors that are coinciding, with the potential to revolutionise forestry finances: after all, a forest reliant on Government handouts is not a sustainable forest.  Here a reviewContinue Reading

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In: Our Forests

A briefing document has been published by the Our Forests ginger group, setting the record straight about ancient woodlands in England. During the public outcry over the Government’s declared proposals to dispose of the public woods and forests managed by the Forestry Commission in England, particular concerns were raised aboutContinue Reading

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In: news, Our Forests

The Our Forests ginger group met for the second time in London earlier today. We are planning a number of interventions over the coming months in response to the Government’s review of forestry policy and the public forest estate in England.  Read more Following a very fruitful meeting, we posedContinue Reading

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In: Our Forests

Today The Hawk and Owl Trust released a strongly worded position statement aimed at the England Forestry Panel. It states that: Forestry Commission forests must remain in national ownership and be given effective protection in the public domain for all of us, for ever the Forestry Commission should be givenContinue Reading

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In: Our Forests

In an exciting step, 38 Degrees have launched a new action to enable everyone to have their say about the future of England’s forests. What do forests mean to you?     In just 24 hours since its launch, over 17,000 comments have been received.  Read more and join theContinue Reading

Forest of Dean plantation

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In: comment, Our Forests

Planting more of the same ‘native woodlands’ that now litter the English countryside with little more ambition in their creation and management than a membership publicity drive or community engagement excercise, will be regretted long after the PR-masters behind them have past. In their own way, these are as regrettable as the dark satanic rows of conifers that were planted sixty years ago.
If we continue to plant green fuzz across our food-producing fields, with little concern either for the impending need to be more self-sufficient in food production, or for the need to reduce our enormous reliance on timber imports, Britain’s environmental credibility will be increasingly undermined.Continue Reading

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In: feature, forestry, policy

Today is World Environment Day.  This year, the theme supports the UN’s International Year of Forests and is entitled Forests: Nature at Your Service. The UN says the day will emphasise “the many essential life-sustaining values that forests provide and the intrinsic link between our quality of life and theContinue Reading

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In: feature, policy

Despite the sustainable nature of modern forestry in much of the developed world, while deforestation continues in the less-developed world, perhaps forestry will continue to have a poor reputation in the public conscience.Continue Reading