Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Save England's Forests Campaign(s)
Concerned at what the Government's planned sale of woods might mean for our natural environment, I looked online for any campaigns that might have been mounted.
I found three:
The Woodland Trust's, "Save England's Ancient Forests"
"Save England's Forests" at saveenglandsforests.org (not sure who's behind this)
"Save our Woods" by 38 Degrees
Confused, I sent the following email to the Woodland Trust:
There appear to be at least three petitions on this issue, you guys, 38 degrees + saveenglandsforests.org. Are you collaborating? It would be worth
doing so publicly. You're missing the sense of scale behind the movement
otherwise.
Here was my speedy reply:
Dear Hugh,
Thank you for your email.
We have worked with 38Degrees in the past and are talking with them on the issue (the "Save England's Forests" is using the same petition, although we do not know the person running it). We support in principle these petitions, as they allow people to express their concerns. However, our asks are different to 38Degrees, by very nature of our expertise on this topic. Their campaign is based on maintaining the status quo, and we do not feel that a campaign to stop the sales from going ahead is going to be successful, and there is no Plan B if this fails. The issue, for us, is not one of ownership, but is an issue of the future of the woods themselves. The Trust therefore is asking for specific safeguards to be provided, which are:
1) Ancient Woodland to be protected from sale
2) Guarantees to be put in place to protect public access on any sold sites
3) Any sites where restoration work is being undertaken should be held off the market until this is completed.
This position will at least protect the most vulnerable sites from sale and make sure that the public (and the countryside) are no worse off through these proposed sales.
Kind regards,
Emilie
Emilie Bonnevay
Public Enquiries Officer
emiliebonnevay@woodlandtrust.org.uk
Grantham,
Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL
Tel: 01476 581135
So, now you know
Tags for Forum Posts: forests
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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@Will Hoyle - BTW you still haven't answered my question on the other thread.. 'The Government' doesn't own these forests - doesn't own anything in fact - it manages them in trust for the country.. therefore should keep it's nasty fingers off of them.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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"Totally support the Woodland Trust's position . . . "
Perhaps, Mr Hoyle, there was a typo and the word "I" got left-off the start of your sentence?If so, are you going to:
* Sign the Woodland Trust online petition?
* As a Tory party member and local election candidate (Seven Sisters ward in May) how will you be arguing your view within your party?
(Labour councillor Tottenham Hale ward)
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Well, do you or don't you: "Totally support the Woodland Trust's position"?
If you do, why not sign their petition?
If you don't what did your post mean?
If you're not interested in woodlands and the proposed Government sale of forestry land, then why post comments about it?
Of course you're right that it's not a specific local ward issue. (Though if this sell-off succeeds I would start to worry in case someone else has plans to flog-off the Lee Valley Park.) But being a Haringey councillor doesn't stop me being interested in, enjoying and caring about all sorts of other places. Why is that "political rubbish?"
John Major called it "active citizenship".
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Permalink Reply by Mr Growbag on
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I'd recommend this article from the Ecologist
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Update:
The Guardian, BBC and Independent are reporting that the government is about to scrap plans to sell our forests
Campaign group 38 Degrees write "Over half a million of us should feel very proud of what we've achieved together. Let's keep watching but also celebrate what we've done!"
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Hopefully this is a part of new Twenty-first century "settlement" - in the same way there was a broad cross-party 'Postwar settlement'. A huge and surprising range of people - from thoughtful Tories, to the Greens, Labour and the SWP - have said 'No' to the forest sell-off. Can the same sensible agreement be reached about other issues?
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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Agreed Alan. Commentators are of course describing the decision as a U-turn, incompetence. a panicked retreat. Can we not take a positive view and accept that this Government is prepared to listen to the people, unlike the previous one which regarded on-line petitions as nothing more than a useful safety valve ?
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