SchNEWS 753 - Lean Dean Fighting Machine
SchNEWS 753 | 09.01.2011 11:53 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | South Coast
The Forest of Dean is under imminent threat as once again the Government proposes to put it on the market. The Public Bodies Bill, a far-reaching piece of legislation already in the House of Lords will enable the sale of Forestry Commission land.
Over 3,000 people mobilised on Monday (3rd) to express their dissent and vow to protect one of Britain’s most ancient woodlands and largest oak forest. The crowds marched, belted out songs and burned an effigy of Big Ben to illustrate their view of Westminster. A petition with more than 110,000 signatures is in circulation against the coalition’s future plans for the Forestry Commission.
Check the website for HOOF (Hands Off Our Forest) campaign for more information on preventing the forest sell off and updates.
On the Newswire: Photos of Rally| Interview with campaigners on Dialect Radio
The Forest of Dean is one of thirty crown forests that are scheduled to be emancipated from the Forestry Commission’s evil clutches and delivered into the loving arms of power hungry, profit-seeking developers. According to the Government, the plan is to both cut the overall number of public bodies and make year-on-year savings of £1bn by reducing the cost of ‘bureaucracy’.
Unfortunately its not just gonna be paper cuts this time round. Large chunks of the 650,000 acre Forestry Commission land may be sold to real estate developers and construction companies that will limit access to the forest and hack down as many trees as possible.
Also in SchNEWS 753: Reading and Rioting - As Coalition chop Education Maintainence Allowances.. | In Pod We Trust - As Sea Shepherd takes on the whalers again... | Lean Dean Fighting Machine - Forest of Dean under threat... | Bolivia: Losing the Morales Highground - People power gives fuel subsidy cuts the big Evo... | Getting off Soot Free - Success as climate campaigners avoid prison in two court cases... | Holloway Hootenanny - Migrant rights activists throw solidarity demo outside prison in solidarity with the Yarl's Wood three... | And Finally - Videogame fan nearly croaks playing Frogger...
SchNEWS 753
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Britain’s woods and forests for sale
11.01.2011 00:06
The UK government plans to put half of England's state-owned forests up for sale to private firms to raise billions to reduce the budget deficit and as a give-away to the nascent biomass industry. Ancient woodlands, regenerating natural forests and planted trees all provide important ecosystems and could be chopped down to make way for holiday villages, golf courses and commercial logging.
These forests are not for the ConDem governement to sell. They belong to the people.
Keith
Homepage:
http://keithpp.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/britains-woods-and-forests-for-sale/