| Forestry Commission (Welsh: Comisiwn Coedwigaeth) | |
|---|---|
| Non-ministerial government department overview | |
| Formed | 1919 |
| Jurisdiction | Great Britain |
| Employees | 3,240 |
| Annual budget | £50.8 million (2009-2010)[1] |
| Non-ministerial government department executive | Pam Warhurst, Chair |
| Parent Non-ministerial government department | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| Child agencies | Forestry Commission England Forestry Commission Wales Forestry Commission Scotland |
| Website | |
| www.forestry.gov.uk | |
The Forestry Commission (established in 1919) is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment.
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The Forestry Commission manages almost one million hectares of land in Great Britain, making it the country's biggest land manager. The majority of the land (60%) is in Scotland, 26% of the landholding is in England and the remainder in Wales.[2] Some of Britain's best-loved and most spectacular landscapes are in its care. Activities carried out on the forest estate include maintenance and improvement of the natural environment and the provision of recreation, timber harvesting to supply domestic industry, regenerating brownfield and replanting of harvested areas.
Afforestation was the main reason for the creation of the commission in 1919. Britain had only 5% of its original forest cover left and the government at that time wanted to create a strategic resource of timber. Since then forest area has more than doubled and the remit of the commission is much more focused on sustainable forest management and maximising public benefits.
The Forestry Commission is also the government body responsible for the regulation of private forestry (felling is generally illegal without first obtaining a licence from the Commission) and for encouraging new planting. Part of this role is carried out by providing grants in support of private forests and woodlands.
The organisation has a Board of Commissioners with duties and powers prescribed by statute, consisting of a Chair Pam Warhurst, and up to ten other Forestry Commissioners, including its Director General, who are appointed by the Queen.
The Commission also has an Executive Board which assists the Director General and Country Directors in the effective management of the Commission by providing leadership and setting direction for the Commission as an organisation.
Its current structure of separate Forestry Commissions for England, Scotland and Wales, came into effect on 1 April 2003. This structure allows the Commission to focus more clearly on delivering the policies of the individual Governments while still having the ability to take a Great Britain-wide approach to "cross-border" issues.
The Forestry Commission in each country is led by a Director who is also a member of the GB Board of Commissioners. Delivery of policy, as well as progress against strategy objectives, are overseen in each country by the Commission's National Committee for England, National Committee for Scotland and National Committee for Wales.
In October 2010, the Government introduced the Public Bodies Bill to The House of Lords,[3] which would have enabled the Secretary of State to sell or lease public forests in England.[4][5]
According to The Guardian, "the news [was] met with near-universal disgust and shock".[6] The same newspaper also quoted Caroline Lucas MP, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, as saying it was an "unforgivable act of environmental vandalism". An online petition opposing the sale received more than 537,000 signatories.[7]
In February 2011, after a sustained campaign of protest by groups such as the Ramblers and Hands off our Forest, the government announced it had abandoned its current plans and would remove the forestry clauses from the Public Bodies Bill. An 'independent panel' was also established to advise on the future direction of forestry and woodland policy in England, and on the role of the Forestry Commission. It is due to report in Autumn 2011.[8][9][10]
Forest Research is a Great Britain-wide agency of the Forestry Commission which aims to deliver high-quality scientific research and surveys, to inform the development of forestry policies and practices, and promote high standards of sustainable forest management.
The Forestry Commission is the largest provider of outdoor recreation in Britain.[11] It works with many user groups to promote the use of its land for recreation such as hillwalking, cycling, mountain biking and horseback riding. There are many such projects throughout Britain. A notable and successful example is its 7stanes project in Scotland where seven purpose built areas of man-made mountain bike trails have been laid and has proved very popular. Another project to promote the use of its land is Music in the Forest, an annual series of live music concerts featuring well known bands.
Britain's forests are a great habitat and species resource. Biodiversity conservation is an integral part of sustainable forestry, the Government's approach to which is detailed in The UK Forestry Standard and supporting Guidelines. The Forestry Commission contributes to the UKBAP by helping to deliver habitat and species action plans, notably, it has a lead role in taking forward the Native Woodland Habitat Action Plans. The aim is to enhance the nature conservation value of all our forests and safeguard special habitats. A series of Biodiversity Briefing Notes[12] provide background on the UKBAP process and its relevance to forestry, and describes how the Forestry Commission is contributing.
Some of the forests managed by the Forestry Commission are:
In the 1960s, the Forestry Commission received a large number of complaints about its afforestation schemes. In 1919, when the Commission was created, it was given land with low soil quality – usually in highland areas. When the plantations were almost fully grown in the 1960s, nearby citizens complained that they were an eyesore. The Forestry Commission planted conifer trees, which usually grow to the same height and have a very dark colour. Since then, landscape improvement has been a key feature of the Forestry Commission's work. All forests are covered by a Forest Design Plan, which aims to balance the different objectives of timber production, landscape amelioration, ecological restoration, recreation provision and other relevant objectives. Forest management is a long term business, with plans frequently extending for a minimum of twenty-five or thirty years into the future.
Whilst early plantations were criticised for their lack of diversity, the Forestry Commission has been steadily improving the value of its woodlands for wildlife. The large blocks of conifer associated with the earlier plantings were beneficial to some species such as siskin, goldcrest, crossbill, most members of the tit family, long-eared owls, nightjars, roe deer, pine martens and polecats, but the greater emphasis on diversity now favours a much wider range of species, including broadleaved and open ground specialist species.