To wonder if this government really believes in selling off the forests

[donkeyderby]

Damian Green - immigration minister - on Question Time last night made the most feeble attempt to justify the sell-off of our precious forests. It was quite obvious he didn't really believe in it himself.

He could not deny that the sell-off will make NO MONEY. IT MAY EVEN MAKE A LOSS!!! He couldn't come up with a reason for selling them off, apart from that it would be good if other groups had the chance to manage them, like 'community groups' and the Woodlands Trust.

A woman in the audience pointed out that most 'community groups' do not have the finances to buy vast areas of forest at commercial prices.

If Government ministers do not believe in their policies, why should they expect us to?

The good news is that it is not too late to stop this ideological crap (see In the News section)

I think 'selling off' is an emotive phrase and that if it were to go ahead the public would notice very little difference in things like access to woodland etc. However, this could turn out to be one of those minor 'nice to have' type policies that governments occasionally stick up to be knocked down. I don't think they'll take it to the wire. Bigger fish to fry.

it's an absolute disgrace. we might not notice much difference straight away but give it a couple of years.....and the next generation certainly will as the profit motive for the forest owners really kicks in.

I love forests and woodlands. I grew up playing in the woods and it kept me out of all the trouble in my local area.

I think instead of selling off, we need to be planting more trees. every open spce that is left or farm lands being sold should be bought by goverment and turned into woodlands.

i would also love to own my own woodlands.

@kepler10b... the National Forest Project is an example of a long-term (not Forestry Commission) forestry management, conservation and extensive planting programme that is sponsored by various businesses... Rolls Royce, Alliance & Leicester, Jaguar, Severn Trent Water etc... and supported by local councils and other bodies. The motive is not profit. There are many other forests around the country run this way, very successfully. This is the kind of transfer of ownership I assume that the government intended. But, as explained in the programme, if it isn't saving much/any money and people don't want it I'm sure it'll be quietly dropped.