Forest sell-off resistance grows

A campaign to resist the government’s forest sale plans is gaining momentum with the Archbishop of Canterbury among notable signatories to the protest.

A letter from Save England’s Forests, published in the Sunday Times, says the government’s plan to sell off English state forests is “wrong”.

The government is currently consulting on its proposals, which would see about 15% of Forestry Commission forestry assets sold to the private sector by 2015 to raise funds.

Save England’s Forests, masterminded by London Mayor’s Boris Johnson’s sister Rachel, has timed the letter to coincide with a parliamentary debate on the Public Bodies Bill 2010-11. The campaign says clauses in the bill will authorise the government to sell England’s entire public forest estate.

“We appreciate the need for reform but the irreversible sale of our public forest estate is the most destructive of all possible options,” the letter says.

Other signatories include author Bill Bryson, Dame Judi Dench, environmentalist Jonathan Porritt, Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, adventurer Ranulph Fiennes and singer Annie Lennox.

The campaign has so far attracted support from more than 150,000 people.

Public forests in Wales and Scotland’s are not affected by the plans.

Defra says tree-felling would remain controlled through the licensing system managed by the Forestry Commission.

It says proposals would represent a new approach to ownership and management of woodlands and forests, with a reducing role for the estate and a growing role for the private sector and civil society.