Save the Lake District's Forests
Forestry Panel backs England's public forests
The Government panel on the future of England's public forests says the benefits of England's publicly owned forests were "greatly undervalued" by the planned state sell-off.
The report says the £20m cost to the state of maintaining the forests and woodlands is "very modest and delivers benefits far in excess of this" and contrasts the sum with the £250m spent on reinstating weekly bin collections.
The report says the panel was struck by the "heartfelt connections" between people and woodlands: the panel received 42,000 communications.
You can see the report by the Independent Panel on Forestry Policy in England here.
You can see The Guardian's coverage of the Panel's report here.
Over 2,000 people joined rallies at Grizedale and Whinlatter Forests early in 2011 to protest about plans to sell off the public forests. You can see pictures from the two Lake District rallies in our photo gallery.
The report says the £20m cost to the state of maintaining the forests and woodlands is "very modest and delivers benefits far in excess of this" and contrasts the sum with the £250m spent on reinstating weekly bin collections.
The report says the panel was struck by the "heartfelt connections" between people and woodlands: the panel received 42,000 communications.
You can see the report by the Independent Panel on Forestry Policy in England here.
You can see The Guardian's coverage of the Panel's report here.
Over 2,000 people joined rallies at Grizedale and Whinlatter Forests early in 2011 to protest about plans to sell off the public forests. You can see pictures from the two Lake District rallies in our photo gallery.
The Lake District's forests are still under threat
The Government has now abandoned its consultation on selling off our forests and removed the key clauses from the Public Bodies Bill.
However, many of the 39 forests and woodlands across the Lake District are still under threat.
Save Lakeland's Forests wants to keep all our forests under public sector ownership and management for the benefit of future generations.
We oppose any sell off - whether that means selling the land outright or selling it on long leases.
We still want to know whether the Government will abandon their plans to sell off the 15% of forest land they can dispose of without further legislation.
We are also concerned that the cuts that are taking place in the Forestry Commission's budget will undermine its work to improve access and biodiversity.
We are continuing to watch developments nationally and consider whether there is anything else we need to do to continue the work we have all done to defend our public forests for the benefit of future generations.
You can let us know what you think either on the Comments section of this website or by emailing contact@savelakendsforests.org.uk.
Read our press releases and see a map showing where the forests are.
You can also follow us on Twitter and join our Facebook page.
Our rally at Grizedale
The rally at Grizedale Forest in January was a key point in the campaign against the Government's plans to transfer our forests out of public hands.
Over 1,500 people took part in the rally on Sunday 30th January.
Lord Clark of Windermere, Westmorland and Lonsdale MP, Tim Farron, and John Woodcock, MP for Barrow, ripped up copies of the Government's Public Bodies Reform Bill which contained clauses that would have allowed all Forestry Commission land to be privatised.
Over 1,500 people took part in the rally on Sunday 30th January.
Lord Clark of Windermere, Westmorland and Lonsdale MP, Tim Farron, and John Woodcock, MP for Barrow, ripped up copies of the Government's Public Bodies Reform Bill which contained clauses that would have allowed all Forestry Commission land to be privatised.
Lord Clark, a former chairman of the Forestry Commission, told the crowd: "The great thing is that this land is ours and we need to keep it as ours."
Eric Robson, the Chairman of the Wainwright Society and Cumbria Tourism, said: "The sham is that they are going to have a consultation while at the same time the Government pushes on with the Public Bodies Reform Bill. It's an absolute disgrace."
Broadcaster Stuart Maconie sent a message of support saying why he is "so opposed to this petty, shortsighted and unjust plan". Stuart Maconie's message.
Eric Robson, the Chairman of the Wainwright Society and Cumbria Tourism, said: "The sham is that they are going to have a consultation while at the same time the Government pushes on with the Public Bodies Reform Bill. It's an absolute disgrace."
Broadcaster Stuart Maconie sent a message of support saying why he is "so opposed to this petty, shortsighted and unjust plan". Stuart Maconie's message.
Massive public support for the campaign against forests sell offs
The Government's has abandoned its consultation on forest sell offs after the proposals attracted widespread opposition.
A national opinion poll showed that 84% of people think our forests should be kept in public ownership for future generations.
In a letter in The Sunday Telegraph signed by almost 100 dignitaries, Government plans to sell off large parts of our public forests were branded as “unconscionable” and “ill-conceived”.
In the Lake District, Mountaineer Chris Bonington was one of a number of celebrities who backed our campaign to stop the sale of the Lake District's forests saying, "I urge all those who value these wonderful green spaces to join the campaign to keep our forests in public ownership and public management."
Lord Clark being interviewed by Sky News at Grizedale on Sunday 23 January
Lord Clark of Windermere emphasised 'We hold these magnificent green spaces in trust for our children. Once they've gone we will not get them back'. Read his article in The Guardian
Wainwright Society Chairman Eric Robson attacked the Government plans because of the impact the sales would have on public access, landscape quality and bio-diversity.
Grizedale Forest
One of the red kites released by the Forestry Commission in Grizedale last year
What we would lose
* It will be more difficult for walkers to access the land. New owners can put up fences, remove car parks and will have no obligation to maintain footpaths.
* There will be no right for people like mountain bikers and horse riders to access these forests in future.
* New owners will have no obligation to continue to protect and improve habitats for wildlife.
* While the Forestry Commission is increasingly replacing conifers with native wodlands this process is likely to be reversed by new owners.
