Forestry Commission sell-off

[Twybill]

According to this link http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Ancient-wood-sites-face-axe-163-300m-sell/article-3084310-detail/article.html the commitment by the FC to replace conifers with native broadleaves will not happen when forests are sold. Why would broadleaves devalue land?

[jillybean]

I think the Article is saying that prospective buyers will see the Caveat to replant as a disincentive to buy, therefore the price may drop. its a lot of work involved in replanting a whole forest.

[Dennis]

Though I can't find the web page now, I read an article today by a tax advisor who pointed out that wealthy people would likely buy the FC woodlands to shelter their wealth from inheritance tax. Result? Money raised by selling the woodlands would likely be matched by the loss of inheritance tax down the road. (Not that our politicians would bother too much about that, would they, with their horizons limited by the next election?)

[MartinD]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12257835

A survey finds that a majority of people oppose plans to privatise Forestry Commission woodland.

[Darren]

There seems to be a lot of jumping up and down without knowing the facts over the internet.

[Meadowcopse]

Discussions by some interested parties regarding future regulation:

http://bit.ly/gXdIaJ

(From the Sylva Organisation website)

[docsquid]

Message from the RFS this morning

"The long awaited Defra and Forestry Commission consultation on the future ownership and management of the public forest estate in England went public a few minutes ago at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/forests/index.htm or at www.forestry.gov.uk/england-pfeconsultation. "

There is an extensive document that sets out the options and provides room for you to draft your responses before replying to the online consultation. This at least allows us to base opinions on actual proposals, not speculation.

Do we think the SWOG should compile a group response (this need not preclude individuals responding but might be taken more seriously)?

[RichardKing]

The fact is that most of the government are multi-millionaires & they would love to flog off the woodland to their mates to enhance their country estates & act as tax dodges.

[Meadowcopse]

and next will be the land / properties associated with British Waterways, which at present balances the books and gives a relatively cost neutral canal network with the benefit to leisure and business presently alongside.

(I believe the previous Government had already pencilled this in for sales to potential property developers).

[Dennis]

Read "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein to get an idea of the game plan. Ever since Milton Friedman governments have taken advantage of crises (natural/engineered/ etc) to cut expenditure and to sell off valuable assets to private concerns at low prices for future exploitation and private profit making. About the worst example in the book is where a multi-national corporation bought the rights to supply water in Bolivia, and it became illegal for desperate people even to take water from puddles.