Wild Camping e-petition - England & Wales

[Harb505]

Well I found this e-petition that wants to legalise wild camping in England and Wales. I'm sure it's been done before and failed but what's the harm in putting your name down? http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1947 1000 signatures is the goal I belive. Put the word out!!!

 

[rik_uk3]

"Wild camping enthusiasts are not a threat to our national parks and open spaces" Some are, some leave a right mess. You'd see an increase in woodland fires, woods stripped of anything that would burn and what 'open land' does the petition refer to ? If I was a land owner I'd get pretty bloody miffed with people pitching up where they fancied.

It is possible to get permission to use some land, some of us here have done so; leave things as they are.

 

[gliderrider]

I'm currently on a Conservation course, and now its getting abit perky were having a fire to warm ourselfs, some ofthe other students stick anything on that will burn(or wont) Last week one of them tried to put some rotten deadwood on the fire because it would burn better(his words).

If thats what people that are supposed to know what they are doing think, what about joe blogs that just wants to go camping with his mates and a few tinnies.

No, I'd rather keep this to north of the border if you dont mind.

 

[Harb505]

I think it depends on how you go about it. Sure keep it strict I think it would need to be and if it was introduced the system put in place would need to ensure only responsible people who actually cared about the woodland were allowed to wild camp. For example if it was to be made legal to camp on forestry commision land only allow people who volenteer to work for the forestry commision to camp and even then leave it the descression of the local warden/ ranger.
And anyway those who are irresponsible will camp regardless of the law at least if it was legalised systems might be put in place to regulate and monitor it and hopefully responsible campers would report the irresponsible ones.

 

[Wayne]

I have problems in my woodland with people camping and lighting huge fires. They use my fire wood and strip the place bare. Responsible use is fine but few know how to walk softly. I had someone chopping into the ivy on the trees as they walked along the other day, trying to protect the trees, causing mindless vandalism to an important habitat without permission.

 

[nodd]

I am a volunteer coast warden for the National Trust . I have lost count of the number of fire sites in sand dunes and pine woodland, as well destroryed trees through people trying to cut them down,not to mention the litter left behind. (rant over). We live in a country where all the land is owend by some one, a large number of woodlands are used for shooting with game keepers do not want any one in them. Like all these things there will all ways be people who are lucky enough to gain camping permission but most land owners do not want people on their land, lighting fires no matter how well they are looked after or cleared away they are.

 

[R.Lewis]

If wild camping is to be close to successful I think it should be done via a license system. That why it can be controlled more .

 

[udamiano]

Same as Wayne above. Someone been in my woods lighting fires as well They cause damage without regard

 

[rik_uk3]

A vetting or permit system would be impossible to enforce, leave things be.

 

[nodd]

A vetting or permit system would be impossible to enforce, leave things be.

I second that

its the difference between the dream and the reality of bushcraft in the uk

 

[Harb505]

I can see where everyone is coming from and have quite often seen this kind of 'vandalism' and yes it is discusting and ruins many a perfect scene. At least if wild camping was legalised and licenced in some manner illegal wild campers who do cause damage/ leave litter could then be more heavily prosecuted. Like I said it would still have to be left at the descession of the local land owner/ forestry commision warden. This kind of system would thus only allow campers if the person 'in charge' of the land belived them to be responsile. Idiots who start fires due to lack of knowledge/ carlessness, leave litter and damage woodland are going to do so regardless of the law. At least this system would allow those of us who have a respect for nature and it wonders to more fully enjoy it.
But like I say this is just my opinion, I fully understand where you all coming from.

 

[nodd]

Law and regulation is not always the answer ,we have enough trouble enforcing our current litter laws, bagging dog fouling is a classic good idea to the countryside and public areas clean which has led to that modern flora of coloured bags hanging with fermenting contents. Now I am not say every dog owner does this but there is an awful lot who prefer launch it into the hedge rather than take it home or bin it.

 

[rik_uk3]

I can see where everyone is coming from and have quite often seen this kind of 'vandalism' and yes it is discusting and ruins many a perfect scene. At least if wild camping was legalised and licenced in some manner illegal wild campers who do cause damage/ leave litter could then be more heavily prosecuted. Like I said it would still have to be left at the descession of the local land owner/ forestry commision warden. This kind of system would thus only allow campers if the person 'in charge' of the land belived them to be responsile. Idiots who start fires due to lack of knowledge/ carlessness, leave litter and damage woodland are going to do so regardless of the law. At least this system would allow those of us who have a respect for nature and it wonders to more fully enjoy it.
But like I say this is just my opinion, I fully understand where you all coming from.

Can't happen, how many staff would you need to patrol these areas nationwide, 100? 1000? How much would the permits be to fund a potential multi million pound wage , radio's, training, 4X4's bill? Where would their power of arrest come from? Do you think the police are going to sort out a bunch of peed up folk in the woods when a 'Warden' calls them? Na, won't happen.

Up by me in the summer we find the remains of party campers, nip into Argos get a tent, four sleeping bags, air beds and lights for less than £80, up to the woods, get slop faced and leave the kit or burn it, only £20 each for the kit plus a few beers its a cheap night out.

 

[Harb505]

Like I said irressposible campers will cause damage regardless of the law. Allowing those who respect their surroundings and cause no damge can't hurt and hey maybe such a person would once in a while be able to report some of the more irresponsible campers should they find them selves sharing the same wood.

 

[plastic-ninja]

I think we may be confusing wild-camping and bushcrafting here.
Wild-camping is certainly not dependant on the lighting of fires.Most of the folks I know who do it in the Lakes (including me) take stoves rather than firewood.
With our climate a stove is just so much more reliable and in the event of inclement weather (rare in the Lakes I admit!!) cooking in the tent porch is often a necessity
which would not be possible with a fire.
I think that the only regulation which might work would be one dependant on the altitude of the camping site.X hundred metres above the line of habitation being permitted unless the
landowner had a reasonable objection like protecting bird,animal or plant species.I think most landowners know that it happens and that the tent will not be there more than about
12 hours anyway and sensibly look the other way.No regulation is better than a "right" I think.Too many unearned "rights" around already imho.
Cheers , Simon

 

[TurboGirl]

I think its great that you care about the wildcampers in the bushcraft community, Harb And e-petitions are a fine thing to get voices heard so a bit of healthy discussion from multiple veiwpoints is excellent to give voice and balance to the debate.

Our local woodland owners are pretty well exclusively using to raise game birds as its pretty denuded of woodland around here (although we're pretty rural) and we're Fernie Hunt territory so theres a vested interest in keeping what we have viable for fauna.... they'd be very against wildcamping 'by right', so the pros are gonna have a hard time against the cons, most of whom are said landowners and politically n socially important :S

 

[nodd]

Wardens are limited in what they can do without getting the police involved. You have to ask yourself if you owned a wood, would you want all and sundry using it when they like? and all the problems that comes with it. That is why once permission is gained its so closely guarded.

 

[watatoad]

Most of the land in question was common land and 'legally' stolen from the people of this country so I am in favour of it.

Inclosures act:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclosure_Acts

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/janusg/landls.htm

 

[rik_uk3]

Most of the land in question was common land and 'legally' stolen from the people of this country so I am in favour of it.

Inclosures act:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclosure_Acts

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/janusg/landls.htm

Since about 1850, earlier in som cases, so the land is owned and what gives you the right to use it? You don't have that right. I do see a difference between a hill walker pitching his tent and using a stove for a night before moving on but access to general land for all...no.

 

[crowded-solitude]

ach there is nowhere decent to camp in England anyway can you sign it if you don't live in England or Wales