Forests 'sell off' saga not over?

< > Cycle casualties are falling, but ... Clarks opens dedicated UK service ...

by Mark Sutton
Thursday, June 30th 2011 at 1:50PM

'Independent panel' answers to same minister who outlined sell off plans

The debate on Government plans to sell off large chunks of UK forest land looks set to return, according to campaign group 38 Degrees.

The independent panel of experts, tasked with gathering the thoughts of forest users on the future of UK woodland, is to report to the same minister that initially cooked up the plans to sell off woodland. The campaign group is now, once more, calling on people to get their voices heard by taking a short survey on their use of woodland, here. From here the campaign group will hand responses over to the panel.

With a deadline running until the end of July, the panel will take into account public views on protecting woodland for future generations, seek advice from forestry experts, though ultimately, 'could still be under pressure from their superior to rubber stamp sell offs', says the campaign group.

Last time around a petition containing over half a million signatures reached Downing Street, with national newspaper advertising placed to raise awareness of the sell off proposals.