fir flies: Ministers accused of environmental vandalism over woodland sales

A public consultation begins today about how 638,000 acres of woodland currently run by the Forestry Commission will be managed in future.

Ministers have announced plans to sell off the remaining 99,000 acres of publicly-owned forests in England to raise up to £100m.

But Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh claimed private companies would “cherry-pick” sites, leaving voluntary groups to look after ancient woodlands without a budget.

The Wakefield MP added: “The Tory-led government plan to sell off England’s forests is an act of environmental vandalism. Their proposals will destroy the funding system which has protected England’s forests for nearly 100 years.”

The Forestry Commission, which looks after more than 56,000 acres of land in the region, would no longer be responsible for the day-to-day running of forests earmarked for sale.

Ministers have insisted rights of way would be protected but union officials are adamant the sell-off would amount to “closure of the countryside through the back-door”.

Jon Bates, a staff representative for the Public and Commercial Services Union in the Yorkshire and Humber region, said: “There is a big difference between encouraging people on to your land, and simply tolerating them, which would be the case under private ownership. There simply will not be the degree of protection that currently exists for such valuable natural habitats.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs claimed it would “not compromise the protection of our most valuable and bio-diverse forests”.