For sale: all of our forests. Not some of them, nor most of them – the whole lot

[Helen Back]

taken from guardian.co.uk - For sale: all of our forests. Not some of them, nor most of them – the whole lot:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/dec/22/tory-privatisation-all-state-forests

"Save our forests - don't sell them off to the highest bidder". Don't let private companies chop down our woodland.
Protect trees for the conservation of wildlife and the enjoyment of the public. Petition:

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-forests

 

[Peter_t]

is this for real? iv heard so many things. iv signed it but wheather it will make any difference or not i don't know, the student didn't get what they wanted.



pete

 

[Helen Back]

It seems genuine enough to me. I certainly signed. With this type of thing we won't find out the detail until it's too late.

Some of the land could be sold to National Trust (if they have that sort of money?), but the reality is it's the start of the privatisation of public land.

 

[reddave]

This was on front page of Independent on Sunday at start of November. Yeah, its for real.

 

[Peter_t]

i thought the forestry commition where keeping a lot of it? it cannot funtion without large plots of land to test new species and undertake other recearch (as well as making the government money!).
also i hope they don't sell the only large woodland in my area which i go 90% of the time


pete

 

[treelore]

yeah it`s true, the forestry commiossion will be changing it structure. they have been selling off woods for years. in the last 2 years they have sold 6 woods around the area i live. if the whole lots was to be sold, then Til Hill is in the front running to buy the lot. This comes from friends of mine that work in differant areas of the commission from woodland craftsman up to management. if i hear anymore i will put a threat up steight away

 

[MSkiba]

As if the forests arnt rare enough in this country!

 

[Peter_t]

thanks for the info treelore.

i don't know much about til hill, what are they like? are they likely to allow public access?


pete

 

[Helen Back]

"money invested in a commercial forest or actively farmed land becomes free of Inheritance Tax after you have owned it for two years. Commercial woodland is defined as property where timber from the forest will be actively marketed and sold"

Wealthy private investors will be looking for a piece of the action too.

 

[treelore]

from what i`ve been told that it will be sold in one job lot or a couple of big lotts.... i don't think wealthy investors will get a look in. from what i know public access will still be aloud, but it will be a commercial investment. The FC at the moment do not make a great deal from timber anyway, never have done because of cheap imports. It is more for local access and conservation than money theys day, even tho we have been cutting down oak to be sold at westonburt in the new year.

 

[ashes1627]

In my opinion they do not have the right to sell it off. Her Majesty owns all the land in the UK(I can go into a lenthy discussion about this if wished), so why can the goverment decide to sell it off?

Yes, i signed the petition.

 

[Whittler Kev]

Signed. As the others have said. We need more, not less, woodland

 

[treelore]

The commission is a strang set up and have some old and wick bylaws etc.. like a worker can have a dog with them at work and have x amount of fire wood etc. but as for the queen owning it ashes you`ll have to explain.... i know over a height (mountains) and below tide line etc.... the commission was made to produce and and build the countrys woods reserves for time of war and then over time it has evolved into what it is now.

 

[treelore]

totally agree kev !

 

[ashes1627]

The commission is a strang set up and have some old and wick bylaws etc.. like a worker can have a dog with them at work and have x amount of fire wood etc. but as for the queen owning it ashes you`ll have to explain.... i know over a height (mountains) and below tide line etc.... the commission was made to produce and and build the countrys woods reserves for time of war and then over time it has evolved into what it is now.

Her majesty technically and legally owns all the land in the UK, so she owns the land your house in on. She is the only person on earth who legally owns whole countries. Her holding is based on the laws of the countries she owns and her land title is valid in all the countries she owns. Her main holdings are Canada, the 2nd largest country on earth, with 2,467 million acres, Australia, the 7th largest country on earth with 1,900 million acres, the Papua New Guinea with114 million acres, New Zealand with 66 million acres and the UK with 60 million acres. She owns about 6,600 million acres of land, and so is the largest land owner in the world. Its the law, however she rarely exercises this. Hope this helps.

 

[Peter_t]

well im glad it won't be sold to just any old wealthy person because frankly most people who do this have no idea about what to do with a woodland let along manage it!
i have seen laylandii and other random rubbish from garden centers replaceing oaks and willows! no joke.


pete

 

[cyberwolfuk]

signed and posted on some other forums i go on

 

[treadlightly]

Recently there were reports that Britain had a greater percentage of wooded land than at any time since, I believe, 1750. Now it seems all that hard work could be spoilt.

 

[Toddy]

Her majesty technically and legally owns all the land in the UK, so she owns the land your house in on. She is the only person on earth who legally owns whole countries. Her holding is based on the laws of the countries she owns and her land title is valid in all the countries she owns. Her main holdings are Canada, the 2nd largest country on earth, with 2,467 million acres, Australia, the 7th largest country on earth with 1,900 million acres, the Papua New Guinea with114 million acres, New Zealand with 66 million acres and the UK with 60 million acres. She owns about 6,600 million acres of land, and so is the largest land owner in the world. Its the law, however she rarely exercises this. Hope this helps.

Ashes that's mince.
The Crown Estates own land, but they don't own it all.
Scotland got rid of it's feudal laws several years ago.

King or Queen of Scots, not Scotland.
Laws are enacted in HM the Queen's name, not in her landownership.

Toddy

 

[nuggets]

i only own to the bottom of my foundations -an its free hold ???? who owns the rest underneath it ???