Beautiful beech woods under threat from hell-bent coalition
The ConDem coalition is all set to announce plans to sell off up to 50% of the 748,000 hectares of woodland overseen by the Forestry Commission. An integral part of our natural habitat and indeed our culture, many of the UK’s forests have been protected since the Magna Carta of 1215 and beyond. But hey, never mind all that, we have a deficit to deal with and a banking industry to protect.
So, at the stroke of a chainsaw, the Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is proposing environmental vandalism on a monumental scale to bring in another couple of billion quid.
So what will become of our cherished woodland? A source close to the department said: “We are looking to energise our forests by bringing in fresh ideas and investment.” Not sure our forests need “energising”, but either way it’s thought that once sold to private companies much of the estate will be used to develop more Center Parcs-style holiday villages, golf courses, adventure sites and commercial logging operations.
Aghhhh.