Outdoor enthusiasts speak up for forest access
Nine organisations, representing a broad range of people who care about and enjoy the great outdoors, have today (10 May) issued a statement to the chair of the Independent Panel on Forestry, Bishop of Liverpool James Jones, expressing their concerns and hopes for the future of public access to all our forests and woodland. The…
Read More
Our blueprint for green-space law
We have made a bid to save unconsidered scraps and patches of land from development and neglect. Responding to the government’s proposal for ‘a new designation to protect green areas of particular importance to local communities’(1) the society points out that these are likely to be small and often not very green─but of great value…
Read MoreDefra study of Women’s Institute Survey on Town and Village Greens
Please click on the link below to download a copy of Defra’s study of the character of greens based on a semi-randomised representative sample (200) of information gathered by the Women’s Institute across England. Please click here
Read MoreBritish Bike Association on rights for cyclists
There are an increasing number of cyclists in the United Kingdom. This is because bicycles provide economic, ecological and environmental benefits over other forms of transport. Bicycles are used for travelling to and from work, for recreational use and even for delivery purposes. Many cyclists are afraid of vehicular traffic, so choose to cycle on…
Read More
Forestry panel needs horse-riders and cyclists too
While welcoming the establishment of the independent panel on forestry policy in England (read more here), we have pointed out that its recreational representation is too limited. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary: ‘While we are pleased that Tom Franklin of the Ramblers is included on the panel, we consider the omission of organisations representing…
Read More
We are relieved at Cameron’s about-turn on forest plans
‘At last the government has seen the trees for the wood.’ So we said on learning that David Cameron has abandoned plans to flog off England’s public forest estate, has called an emergency stop to the consultation on its future, and will remove clauses from the Public Bodies Bill which affect the Forestry Commission. Read…
Read MoreHalt of forest sales ‘a tiptoe in the right direction’
We have responded to the government’s announcement, that it is temporarily suspending the sale of 15 per cent of the public forestry estate, as ‘a tiptoe in the right direction’. But we want the government to abandon its plans to sell off much of the rest of the English public forest estate. In making its…
Read MoreOutdoor enthusiasts speak out over Public Bodies Bill
Twelve organisations, representing a broad range of people who care about and enjoy the great outdoors, have today (4 February) issued a statement expressing their concerns about the Public Bodies Bill, currently in the House of Lords. The statement draws attention to changes proposed to the Forestry Commission and the National Park Authorities which own…
Read More
Vital safeguards for public woods and forests
The society has published a set of vital safeguards for the public forest estate in England, ahead of the opposition debate on forests in the House of Commons on Wednesday (2 February). We have written to MPs urging them to advocate these safeguards in the debate. All these safeguards must be satisfied before the sale…
Read MoreLocalism Bill is a muddle for open spaces
We today roundly condemn the Localism Bill, the government’s flagship measure for giving people power to run their own lives and neighbourhoods. The bill is due for second reading in the House of Commons on Monday 17 January. Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, says: ‘One of the bill’s most important aspects-the care and future of…
Read More