With areas of UK forestry mooted suitable for commercial development – the coaltion government has spotted a opportunity to sell off this publically owned asset for a quick buck.

Many forests owned by the Forestry Commission are potentially suitable for tourism, leisure and renewable energy projects such as wind farms, as well as commercial forestry. Indeed such projects already exist in the UK’s publically owned forests from wind farms to Go Ape ‘tree top adventures’.

Writing on the subject in the Guardian on 22nd December, John Vudal believes that due to large Tory populations living near to English forestry areas, local objections may scupper the government’s plans. Vidal believes opposition to commercial development will mean a wholesale disposal may not happen. What is not mentioned however is that there are already these developments on Forestry Commission land and plans for further wind farms and recreation projects underway.

The Forestry Commission approach under the previous Labour government was to retain the land in its ownership and grant leases to private companies to develop commercial projects. This in turn will secure a medium to long term profit from the projects run by the private sector. The plan under this coalition government according to a Jim Paice at a House of Lords select committee report is to reform the Commission to allow for a ‘very substantial disposal of public forest estate‘.

It is not, as John Vudal suggests human made influence or development which in itself threatens our forests – whether the development be tourism, recreation or renewable energy. Indeed these forests are human made and it makes sense to try and make the forest estate self sufficient to secure its long term future.

The wider benefits social and economic benefits of our forests are sometimes difficult to measure but very real. In Wales previously deprived areas such as villages around Afan Forest near Swansea, have seen new life injected into them due to investment in recreation in the forest – in particular mountain biking. Further investment in recreation is to come from wind farm projects elsewhere in Wales, in turn leading to economic benefits to communities.

Inevitably the forest sale is causing a stir with a major petition ‘save our forests’ launched and people like Jonathan Porritt speaking out against politicians like MP Mark Harper for supporting the goverment’s proposals. According to Porritt “Mark Harper stood for election saying one thing (maintain the Forest of Dean as part of the Public Forest Estate) only to say something completely different (flog it off as soon as possible) now that he’s got a toehold on that greasy ministerial pole“.

This government should reform the Commission to allow it to create a public forest which accommodates ecological, environmental, recreational and social needs, whilst making it financially sustainable. With political will and a bit of long term vision this may be challenging but is certainly achievable- given the vast area of forest owned by the Commission. A consultation document is due to be published early this year when the government is proposing to look at all of the options.