Rescuing England’s forests

Whinlatter Forest in north Cumbria

Only 9 per cent of the land area of England is wooded – one of the lowest percentages in Europe. The English Public Forest Estate is made up of about 1,500 woods and forests ranging from ancient semi-natural woodland to more recent sustainable managed plantations. The Forestry Commission manages 258,000 hectares of these woods – roughly a fifth of the entire area – on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Nearly half has public access and attracts more visits each year than Britain’s coastline.

Grizedale Forest in south Cumbria

In the 1980s, thousands of hectares were sold off, including many ancient woodlands. After the 1997 general election, woodland sales were restricted. But at the beginning of 2011, the coalition government signalled its intention to sell off a significant proportion of the estate. Following a public outcry, its consultation and sale of the woodland was halted and the government decided to seek further advice on how to make privatisation more palatable to the population.

In an interim progress report last month, the Independent Panel on Forestry supported an increase in woodland cover, public access and the role of the Public Forest Estate. But the Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading charity championing native woods, announced its disappointment that the panel had failed to make a commitment to strengthen woodland protection, especially in light of the government’s determination to overhaul the planning laws. The panel says it is working towards recommendations to increase the benefits generated from all forests in England, not just those managed by the Forestry Commission, to include the people that enjoy them, to nature and to the businesses that rely on them. The final report will be recommended to the secretary of state in April 2012.

Delamere Forest in Cheshire

The photographs here show three popular forests in north-west England, all managed by the commission. Whinlatter Forest is the only mountain forest in England and popular with bikers and walkers. Grizedale Forest includes ancient woodland and a sculpture trail. Parts of Delamere Forest, the largest area of woodland in Cheshire, date back to the 11th century. Its name means “forest of lakes”, reflecting its rare quaking bog.

John Davies is a British photographer based in Liverpool. He is represented by the Michael Hoppen Gallery in London. www.johndavies.uk.com

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