Rally - Help the English!

Scottish Rallying got a fright a couple of years ago when th Forestry Commission was threatening to sell off forests - with no guarantee about public access after their sale, and therefore forest rallying was under serious threat. The idea was scrapped - for the time being. 

Now it's back, this time in Englandshire so I would urge all those of us up here to support the campaign down south to make the Government think again. This is a threat to national rallying across the four nations, although there are some cynics amongst us who think that there is a campaign to pick us off one by one!

Apparently, the Government only consulted one leisure organisation about their proposals - the Ramblers Association!

If you can read this wee story then you have access to the consultation group. To submit feedback to this consultation, simply send an email to: forestrypanel@defra.gsi.gov.uk, detailing your name and answering as many of the questions as you wish.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES IS SUNDAY 31 JULY 2011.

The panel is asking the following questions:

Q1 – What do forests and woods mean to you?
Q2 – What is your vision for the future of England’s forests and woods?
Q3 – What do you feel to be the benefits of forests and woods to:
 a) you personally;
 b) society as a whole;  
 c) the natural environment; and
 d) the economy?
Q4 – We would like to hear about your suggestions of practical solutions and good practice which can be replicated more widely.
Q5 – What do you see as the priorities and challenges for policy about England’s forests and woods?

So please, do it now, or at least before the weekend is out. Send your response to: forestrypanel@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Further information is on the defra website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/