Member News
2nd February 2011
The Woodland Trust has urged the government to treat ancient woodland as a "special case", ahead of an Opposition day debate on the public forest estate.
As the House of Commons debates an Opposition day motion on the public forest estate it is important that the debate has a strong focus on ancient woodland – our own equivalent of the rainforest. We need to recognise that global leadership on forest stewardship begins at home.
The Woodland Trust is calling for the government to treat these ancient woods as a special case within its sell-off plans. This means the existing loopholes in protection need to be closed, ensuring that their enormous wildlife importance and public access can be safeguarded no matter who owns the woods in the future. In particular, government needs to put in place guarantees regarding its previous commitments to restore damaged ancient woods planted with conifers before any sales take place.
So far 80,000 people have signed the Trust's campaign petition, 'Save England's Ancient Forests' – just six days after it was launched in response to the publication of the government’s plans. The government needs to respond, recognising that ancient woods are a special case, and put in place measures to ensure their protection and restoration are secure – regardless of ownership.
Article Comments
Forestry is a science, the Forestry Commission have done marvellous work both in preservation of our natural forests and management of woodlands and forests where trees are grown for eventual extraction.
My husband trained at the Forestry School in Thetford with practical work in Thetford Chase, the Forest of Dean and Lyminge in Kent a total of 4 years having left the Army in 1946. On qualifying he was sent to Savernack Forest in Wiltshire and in1951 accepted a posting to Tanzania to join the Colonial Forest Service. Both here and overseas
Forests are managed by experts BSCs in Silviculture, ecology, entomology arboriculture (Arboreatum eg. Bedgebery Kent ) They cannot and must not be handed over to amatuers or private individuals. There is no fast buck to be made when trees take so long to grow.
The trees my husband planted in 1950 are now mature standing at 80-100ft.tall. I'm so proud of the work he and so many have done and are still doing to preserve our heritage. Conservators of Forests was the term used for Forest managers,long before the term 'conservation' became popular.
Please read 'Forestry and Wildlife' by H.L Edlin.it was and may still be the Foresters bible.although having been written in 1947 it may be out of print..
Mrs Daphne Claw
2nd Feb 2011 at 11:46 am
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