EQUAL NUMBER OF BRIDLEWAYS TO FOOTPATHS
Campaign for stopping long distance live export of horses. Please see link below
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Have your say on forestry access |
July 2011 | ||||||||||||||
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It isn’t too late to have your say on the Independent Panel on Forestry’s consultation. Full details are available here The Panel has asked the public for their views on the use of forests and woods in England and what they can and should provide, now and in the future, and the BHS is encouraging all equestrians to make their voice heard. The panel’s remit includes, but is not limited to, the work of the Forestry Commission. It encompasses forests and woods in public, private and charitable ownership, and will consider the economics of forestry, public benefits such as well being, access for leisure pursuits and the role of forests and woods and related open habitat in the wider natural environment. The consultation is open until 31 July 2011. Two reports have been submitted by the BHS to the Independent Panel: one on the Forest of Dean , and one on the Woodlands and Forests of the South West. Click here to view the reports. |
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Embargoed until 12pm Tuesday 10th May 2011
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 (10th 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 Group is calling on the Independent Panel to ensure that ‘access is at the heart’ of its discussions concerning the future of our forests. After presenting the statement to the Chair the Group expects to meet all members of the Panel to express firsthand the value of our woods and forests for public enjoyment.
The organisations which make up the Forest Access User Group represent over 8 million people who use woodlands regularly and have a broad recreational, conservation and management interest in our forests and woodlands. The Group includes The British Horse Society, British Mountaineering Council, Open Spaces Society, the Ramblers, Sport and Recreation Alliance, CTC, IMBA, British Orienteering and The Kennel Club.
Justin Cooke, Ramblers Senior Policy Officer, said: “We call on the Panel to find ways to protect, maintain and increase access to all our nation’s woodlands and ensure that access is at the heart of its work. We look forward to engaging with them to ensure that public access to our forests is protected now and always.”
Further quotes from representatives of the Forest Access User Group can be found below along with a copy of the full statement which has been handed to the Bishop of Liverpool. A photograph of the Bishop receiving the joint statement from Group representatives is available on request.
‘Horse riders have access to only 22% of public rights of way and horse-drawn vehicle drivers to only 5% so the permissive access they enjoy in our forests is of immense importance, and would be best protected by the dedication of rights for equestrians under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act.’
Mark Weston Director of Access, Safety and Welfare, The British Horse Society
‘Woods and forests uniquely provide and absorb a huge range of recreational pursuits in beautiful surroundings. It is vital that the Panel puts public access and enjoyment at the forefront of its work.’
Kate Ashbrook, General Secretary of the Open Spaces Society
"The well maintained 10,000km of forest road and waymarked trails in Forestry Commission woodlands provide England's largest network of routes for families to enjoy away from the perils of road traffic. Public ownership is the only reliable way of securing this benefit now - and for generations to come.”
Roger Geffen. Campaigns & Policy Director. CTC, the national cyclists' organisation
“With 48% of woodland access users accompanied by their dog, the sale proposals could have had a devastating impact upon the nation’s dogs and their owners. The Kennel Club urges the independent panel as well as the government to carefully consider how provisions for permissive access users under any new sale will be safeguarded and guaranteed.”
“Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Communications Director”
“Dedicated informal challenge trails, freeride parks and downhill rides for mountainbikers are enjoyed by both young and the not so young. With few exceptions, these only exist on Forestry Commission land, providing great outdoor recreation which would be put at risk by any future sales.”
Colin Palmer. Access Coordinator. IMBA-UK
“Our woodlands and forests have long been a focus for open air recreation, including walking and rock climbing – there are many important climbing crags situated within the forested estate. It is essential that the breadth of recreational opportunities our forests and woodlands provide is fully understood as future policy is developed.”
Dr Catherine Flitcroft, BMC Access & Conservation Policy Officer
“The Forestry Commission allows millions of people to use forests as both a venue and a playground enabling hundreds of sporting activities. The Commission also benefits – in 2010 the Motor Sports Association brought in £1million from events. The full range of sporting activities unique to forests needs to be protected for all.”
Tim Lamb, Chief Executive, Sport and Recreation Alliance
“Forests are the spiritual home of the sport of orienteering and we call upon the members of the Panel to recognise the benefits in terms of health and education, and the contribution made to the rural economy through the staging orienteering events in woodlands and forests, whether publically or privately owned.”
Mike Hamilton Chief Executive British Orienteering
For more information call the Ramblers press office 0207 339 8531 press@ramblers.org.uk, www.ramblers.org.uk
Follow us: Facebook http://tinyurl.com/ramblersfb and Twitterhttps://twitter.com/HeartofWalking
Forest Access User Group’s joint statement to the Bishop of Liverpool James Jones:
The Forest Access User Group believes that protecting and enhancing public access to our woodland and forests must be at the heart of the Panel’s work. Following the huge public outcry which resulted in the consultation on the future management of the Public Forest Estate being “put on hold”, and the temporary suspension of Forestry Commission land-sales, we believe that the Panel now has the opportunity fully to realise the multi-purpose function of our woodland and forest estates.
As the Secretary of State made clear to the House of Commons when announcing the establishment of the Independent Panel,
“.It is important that the panel looks at all forms of access, including access for walkers, riders and cyclists,” and “We want to expand access to our forests and woodlands because it is in everyone's interests that we do so.”
The Public Forest Estate makes up only 18% of England’s woodland and forests but accounts for 44% of our accessible woodlands. With the public making over 40 million visits a year to the Forestry Commission Estate, the Commission is the single, largest provider of countryside recreation opportunities and provides some of the best examples of welcoming, well-managed public access in England, which any private landowner would be hard pressed to match.
This cherished national asset therefore needs to be protected for public access in all forms, be it on foot, bike, horseback, horse-drawn carriage or with a dog, helping to strengthen the public’s understanding of the natural environment. Woods and forests must also continue to bring clear physical and mental benefits to the public by remaining fully accessible.
House of Commons 17 Feb 2011 : Column 1169
David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con): “Will the Secretary of State confirm that access will be at the heart of the terms of reference that will be crafted for the new independent panel?”
Mrs Spelman: “I can give my hon. Friend that assurance.”
House of Commons 17 Feb 2011 : Column 1169
To support the new Forest Access User Group use the link below:-
http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=117&ea.campaign.id=10536&ea.campaign.mode=DEMO
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BHS Forestry Campaign Update |
May 2011 | ||||||||||||
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Since we last wrote to you Defra has announced the constitution of the Independent Panel that will advise the Government on the future of the public forest estate in England - and it makes for concerning reading.
The constitution of the panel appears to be heavily biaised towards landowning and conservation body interests with Tom Franklin, Chief Executive The Ramblers, being the only representative from a user group. For riders and carriage drivers it is most worrying that there is no equestrian representation on the panel.
For more reaction from the BHS click here. |
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Forestry Sell Off - Don't Let it happen
PRESS RELEASE 17-02-11
From:
Camino Riders, Anglia Distance Riders, and EnduranceGB (Iceni Group)
FORESTRY U-TURN - BREAKING NEWS
Great news! We will still be able to ride in our Forests
We are absolutely delighted that the Government is wisely abandoning
its plans to sell off our Forests. Here in East Anglia three groups of long distance riders have made the running in representing horse-riders in a combined campaign against the proposals. A large number of our members
have played a considerable role in writing to (pestering?) their MPs;
to the press; and to Caroline Spelman of DEFRA, not only once but many
times. Horse riders in this area have had eyes and ears everywhere and they turned out in force to make themselves heard at the recent public meeting with local MP Therese Coffey.
Our thanks go out to Look East and Anglia TV who filmed recently at a pleasure ride in the King’s Forest near Bury St Edmunds; also to the press and to the local radio
who have all made our views widely known over a number of weeks.
Despite the U-Turn, some employees of the Forestry Commission have already lost their jobs and the possibility that more of these forestry specialists could be out of work at this particularly difficult time is quite distressing.
Now we must set our sights on obtaining the same rights as walkers in
these Forests so that future generations will all be able to enjoy the
freedom which we now have. We should perhaps explain that the
walkers’ rights are enshrined in law, whereas ours are purely
permissive.
Camino Riders, Elizabeth Barrett billbarrett@suffolkonline.net
Anglian Distance Riders, Karen Collier karencollier@waitrose.com
EnduranceGB Iceni Group, Ellie Head ellie_head@hotmail.com
NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET
Thanks to you all for your help with the successful campaign against the Sell-Off
The Government has now given us a breathing space with its Forestry U-turn
BUT please don’t sit back and think that we have won our access. We need to keep the pressure on.
The Government may have backed off for now, but it is still entitled to sell off 15% of Forestry Commission land within the next four years. And it might well do this when the current fuss has died down.
The future of Forestry Commission is uncertain. Commercial forests could be sold off and the rest might be managed by charitable bodies such as National Trust, Woodland Trust, RSPB, or, locally, Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
If the RSPB or Wildlife Trust get involved, horse riders will be out; if the National Trust become managers, we might get some concessionary paths but it would be unlikely they would be permanent.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust, which Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey is urging us to join, is already involved in managing large chunks of Rendlesham, Tunstall and Dunwich, which have been fenced off and grazed by native ponies. This is part of a project to restore the forests to heathland but these fences limit access for all of us. SWT discourages dogs on its land so it is not likely to welcome horse riders with open arms.
We all need to contact our MPs again, perhaps congratulate them on the U-turn, push very hard for open access on horseback, and ask for horse riders to be represented as a user group on the Government Panel being set up to look at Access and Biodiversity in OUR forests.
We suggest you send copies of your letters or emails to David Cameron and Caroline Spelman (if she is still the minister responsible for DEFRA).
If you are a member of the BHS, perhaps you could forward a copy to Mark Weston, Director of Access: mark.weston@bhs.org.uk
Camino Riders, Elizabeth Barrett, billbarrett@suffolkonline.net
Anglia Distance Riders, Karen Collier, karencollier@waitrose.com
Endurance GB (Iceni Group) Ellie Head, ellie_head@hotmail.com
Press Officer: Jan Harber, janharber@aol.com
February 27th 2011The following is from Camino Riders -
We have been working extremely hard since before Christmas with Endurance GB Iceni Group (Ellie Head) (EGB) and with Anglia Distance Riders(ADR) (Karen Collier). We were asked, in the early days, whether Bill and I would take the lead which, reluctantly, we agreed as we felt that history was repeating itself This was when we ran a campaign in the south in the early ‘90s.
Within 24 hours E GB had a piece we wrote up on line and other matters pertaining to the Forest, and ADR devoted a large amount of space, not only to the Forestry Sell-off but also to the HLS. This was out at Christmas time.
We sent out a joint press release and personal letters to most of the broadsheets, the local papers and the equestrian press. We need to point out that Jan Harber organised a photo shoot and followed it up to the various papers. This resulted in a good piece in the East Anglian Daily Times and with the Sunday Telegraph contacting her. More and more anon.
The East Anglian Daily Times and the Eastern Daily Press (who have published many horseriders’ letters) said that they would continue with the campaign. There have also been letters published in some of the Nationals and Sunday Papers.
Another way forward has been ADR writing, or rather nearly bombarding, DEFRA and our MPs. Everyone has been terrier-like, worrying and keeping going back until we received some sensible replies.
We do actually have it now in writing, what we already knew, that walkers are the only people who have any rights over Open Access land, including forestry.
We know that a number of you have written to your MPs and in this part of Suffolk we now have Dr Dan Poulter, MP, firmly onside.
Through the good offices of David Barker in Suffolk, he add the potential Forest sell-off to the agenda of the Suffolk Local Access Forum, (SLAF) it was suggested that I went along there with the representatives of ADR and E GB. And it was within the Chairman’s power to invite Elizabeth to speak there. This meeting did take place, not only on this issue but on the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme. More of this anon. It is essential that the pressure is kept up until about June of this year, and we understand that the consultation document will be available online on 27 January.
The Sunday Telegraph (23 January) “Selling the forests” not only filled most of their front page but also inside pages as well. There were many well known people featured, urging the Government not to sell the Forests. We did not get a mention, but never mind, Jan worked very hard and if we don’t make front page news we are giving out a good deal of background information.
If you have not written to DEFRA and your MP, please do so right away. Just refer to our last Newsletter, where you were given guidelines.
It has been rumoured that some of Rendlesham Forest may be in line to be sold and also King’s Forest, so do reply to the online consultation.
Recently a reply came from DEFRA, following some questions asked
Consultation starts on Monday 24th January. Please, please, if you have any concerns about losing horse riding access in our public forests, then click on the link and voice those concerns. It is vital that our views are put forward.
