Monday 31 January 2011

Forestry Commission England sales - media coverage in January 2011


During January, ahead of the consultation process, various campaigns opposing the government plans to sell England’s state woodlands achieved widespread media coverage. Here is a sample:

31 January

The Daily Telegraph – MPs revolt, Commons debate Wednesday http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8291358/Pressure-mounts-over-forest-sell-off.html


30 January

Sunday Telegraph - Higher level access http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/forestry/8290822/Cyclists-and-riders-may-lose-access-to-woodland.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/8289599/The-nations-trees-have-been-poorly-managed-by-the-state.html

The Observer - Monty Don on woodlands http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/30/monty-don-woodland-coppice-sustainable

Melvyn Bragg http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/30/melvyn-bragg-lake-district-protests

Sunday Independent - http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/paul-vallely-stealing-the-common-off-the-goose-2198378.html

Mail on Sunday - Forestry as an investment http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1351770/Investors-money-really-does-grow-trees.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Sunday Times – brief report of the debate in the news review section; full page article in the news section “The forest fightback” – National Trust and growing opposition; leader “We want tree huggers not tree muggers”; article by Ed Miliband “Selling England’s forests tears at our hearts of oak”; letter proposing a fund to buy all the land – 50,000 people each pay £10k.


29 January

The Times, 2 letters and an article: FC has an ecologist who looks after Thetford – how could the private sector do that?; Retired forester asks how you categorise woodlands that are on a continuum, or a complex blend; Article about Lake District heroes rally against forests sell-off.


28 January

The Guardian - ‎Lord Clark http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/28/cameron-forests-protests-grizedale

BIKEmagic – higher level access http://www.bikemagic.com/news/campaigns-set-up-to-oppose-forest-sell-off/9706.html

Other:

CLA view http://www.farminguk.com/PopularNews/CLA-backs-forestry-privatisation-with-caution_19742.html

National Trust view: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gQ1mdXxPDFaopmmVwzG5u3nYZGwQ?docId=N0426871296271564269A

Higher level access http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/305295.html


27 January:

Television/Radio:

  • Stuart Goodall live Sky News interview, following item on Newsnight last night iplayer at 26.00 minutes.
  • Guy Warren of Tilhill was on Breakfast TV.
  • Tim Kirk did pieces for Hereford and Worcester radio and for Shropshire radio.
  • BBC - Debate between minister Jim Paice, Lord Clarke, ex-Chairman of FC on Radio 4’s PM programme. It’s at 35 mins in: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00xpllw/PM_27_01_2011/

Newspapers:

  • The Telegraph – very short report, Threatened woodland needs better protection, for PAWS says Woodland Trust.
Higher level access http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/forestry/8290822/Cyclists-and-riders-may-lose-access-to-woodland.html

  • The Daily Mail has a double-page spread on P ramorum and Acute Oak Decline (Chainsaw massacre).

  • The Times - Short news piece ‘Fears for public woodland sell-off’, flagging up leases etc.

Secretary of State Caroline Spelman has ½ page in opinion page: I promise, I can see the wood for the trees – We are not selling off the New Forest. We are protecting access.  Don’t believe all you read.

Beneath that is Matthew Parris (hon. fellow of ICF and regular Times columnist), Forest grumps – referring to misinformation. He suggests that the debate is populated by alarmists and vested interests and that all sides need to step back and recognise that some of the many public benefits may pull in different directions.

Also, one letter from Linda Whetstone (Commissioner in the ‘80s), supporting Matt Ridley’s opinion for selling.


  • Daily Mirror – Woods sale plan ‘is just vandalism’. New Forest etc will be gated and public shut out.

  • Daily Express has a page opposite the leaders, by Clive Aslet, editor of Country Life, Save our ancient forests – a proposal to sell off Britain’s forests has caused alarm but is preserving woodland always incompatible with commerce? Fairly balanced report (not 100% accurate), suggesting a different solution for different types of forest and perhaps the government should not own trees and run a business.  Woodland Trust should vet any woodland before it is sold.

  • The Independent, p26 small piece, Lib Dems threaten rebellion over forests sale; a few bits about what Caroline Spelman is (was) going to say.

Letter asking for conditions to protect wildlife in any sales, from League Against Cruel Sports, RSPCA, Care for the Wild, Mammal Society and other charities.

Letter saying that in Ireland, Chinese and Swiss have shown interest in buying Coillte – that’s what would happen here. From Celt Centre for Environmental Living and Training.

Letter from Edinburgh – the £100m proceeds equals the monthly subsidy to windfarms. Keep our forests and cut the windfarms.

  • Financial Times –can’t see anything on their website.

  • The Sun – nothing.

  • Daily Star – no mention.

Other:



25 January:

The Guardian – The state has no business being a lumberjack.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2011/jan/24/forestry-commission-nationalising-commercial-breakup

Outdoors – Protest rally at Grizedale
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/outdoors-news/forestry-sell-off-protest-planned/7804.html


24 January:

C4 – a ‘romantic’ view of forestry
http://www.channel4.com/news/forest-campaigners-fear-government-sale

The Times – two items

News item: Charities will be given priority over cash in woodland sales, government amending policy after being "stung" by the level of criticism - the consultation announcement to be on Thursday.

Matt Ridley (occasional columnist) said selling off FC would be good. He describes it as officious, an anachronism and inefficient.

The Daily Telegraph – Protection for ancient woodland
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8277004/Ancient-woodland-under-threat.html


23 January:

BBC– TV news coverage
10:47 in
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00xzrbv/BBC_Weekend_News_23_01_2011/


22 January:

BBC Radio – Today programme interviews Chair of Westminster Rural Affairs committee
1:34:00 in
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00xnync/Today_22_01_2011/


Earlier January coverage:

The Observer editorial on 16th January with link to comment by Andy Wightman: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/16/forests

The Sunday Times also had a piece about recent FCE sales, with examples of what has happened to public access in some of those. 

The Times, in the middle of January, has had letters from Barbara Bloom (ex Commissioner) and David Foot (ex FC), among others on the need to retain FCE.
Note: The Times/Sunday Times are subscription online titles.

The Guardian speculates on FCE sales, this time about tax - 13th January: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/13/english-forests-lost-tax-revenues

Local paper on the New Forest - 13th January: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8786793.___Save_New_Forest_from_budget_deficit_sell_off___/

Comment in The Independent 7th January: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-for-sale--camerons-green-credentials-2177929.html

The Guardian letters on 6th January, included a response from Jim Paice: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/06/forestry-commission-sale-protests

The Guardian commented on 5th January that the Minister was responding to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/05/forestry-commission-sale-protest-laura-barton

The Guardian 3rd January on Forest of Dean rally: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/03/forest-of-dean-protesters-woodland

BBC coverage of Forest of Dean rally: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/gloucestershire/hi/front_page/newsid_9336000/9336394.stm

Example of online content: http://theenergycollective.com/vickyportwain/49242/government-sell-english-forests-quick-buck
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Saturday 29 January 2011

Safeguarding the cultural heritage and archaeology contained within our woodlands.

Safeguarding the cultural heritage and archaeology contained within our woodlands.

The above topic seems, at present, to have been marginalised in the debate on the FC management of our ancient forests and woodland. The position in England is that we have possibly the highest concentration in the world of unresearched or under researched woodland sites. We have been actively involved with the FC for a number of years working on the archaeology contained within Sherwood Forest. We are sure commercial forestry would not see the preservation or conservation of heritage sites within their woodland as high priority. Also, to think that any level of local authority is capable of becoming involved with woodland management in the current financial climate is a mistake. Local authorities here in Nottinghamshire are slashing staff and services and are not looking for new areas of responsibility. Local authorities would probably like to give away their parks and gardens as well because they have already sacked the rangers that managed them. The Woodland Trust has been looking for people to lease woodlands as they are not able to resource all the extended responsibilities, funding has been cut from the Community Forests and small woodlands have been chopped up to create 2 and 3 acre woodland gardens just to promote sales. We support public involvement and social forestry but to expect the untrained and unsupported public to pick up the responsibilities of woodland management is unrealistic. We quickly need a fully funded mentor scheme to help new woodland owners and volunteers to gain confidence in their day to day decision as we will be overwhelmed by new volunteers wanting support and advice.

Have your say by visiting these sites:
The consultation will run for 12 weeks until 21st April 2011. This consultation is about the future ownership and management of the public forest estate in England – land managed by the Forestry Commission on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. You can see the consultation document on the FC website www.forestry.gov.uk/england-pfeconsultation or www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/forests/index.htm. 
Or, you can request a hard copy by contacting them below.
How to respond You can either respond to this survey online or by completing a hard copy of the consultation and posting it back to them.
Online – visit our website at www.forestry.gov.uk/england-pfeconsultation and follow the link to the online consultation. Hard copy – download a copy of the full consultation document from our website, print off and complete the relevant section(s) and post it back to us.
Or Call  0845 3673787 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              0845 3673787      end_of_the_skype_highlighting to request a hard copy which you can complete and return -have any questions please contact 0845 3673787 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              0845 3673787      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or via publicconsultation@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 
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