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Strictly embargoed until 08 December 2011 - People, nature and business look set to benefit from report to Government
Issued by the News Distribution Service on behalf of the Independent Panel on Forestry
The Independent Panel on Forestry, set-up to advise the
Government on the future of England's forests and woods,
has today (8 December) published its progress report.
The Panel says it is working towards recommendations that
will increase the benefits generated from all forests in England,
including to the people that enjoy them, to nature and to the
businesses that rely on them. The recommendations will be made in
their final report to Government in spring 2012.
The Right Reverend James Jones Bishop of Liverpool who chairs
the Panel said: "Although our Panel was born out of
fierce debate over the future of the public forest estate, what
has become apparent through our work so far is that we must look
at the future of all woods and forests, not just the one fifth
managed by the Forestry Commission.
"Through the 42,000 responses to our call for views,
the public expressed their passion for forests as a place of
recreation, to connect with nature and as a vital source of
resources. These responses, along with the many people we have met
on our visits, have helped inform our report."
The report notes that while looking over a landscape of
different types and ages of trees in the Forest of Dean, the Panel
were told this was "a political landscape"
shaped by the national politics at the time of planting. The Panel
has identified in their progress report that future forestry
policy should reflect the economic and ecological timescales of
woodlands.
Responding directly to one of the issues it was asked to
address, the progress report states that the Panel sees a
continuing role for a national public forest estate in England.
The Panel sets out a broad vision of providing a wider range of
benefits to more people, and will explore the role of not just the
public forest estate but all woodlands, including those in other
ownerships, in delivering more for society, the environment and
the economy.
In speaking about the Panel's work over the next few
months Bishop James said: "For now all of our work,
especially in relation to the woods and forests outside of the
public forest estate, needs further development in the run up to
making recommendations in our final report next year. But as ever
the Panel are dedicated to further exploring these emerging
themes."
The Panel's progress report will be available to
view in full on their website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/.
-Ends-
Notes to editors:
1. For more information about the Independent Panel on
Forestry including the terms of reference, agreed with the Chair
visit http://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/.
2. Caroline Spelman, Defra Secretary of State, announced that
an independent panel to provide advice on forestry would be
created on 17 February 2011.
3. To inform their progress report the Panel held a
'call for views' where everyone, no matter what
their interest in forestry, was encouraged to submit their views.
More than 42,000 responses were received and analysed. The Panel
have also embarked on a series of visits to build up a good
picture of the varied nature of forests and woods, and the role
they play in communities and the economy. Full details can be
found on the website http://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/.
Issued by the Independent Panel on Forestry. For more
information contact Erin Casey/Liz Morrison on 020 7238 6189 or
forestrypanel@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
Contacts:
NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the issuing dept
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk
