[{"topic":"Forestry","id":"44032","proposer":"24910","edm":"2925","session":"2010-12","title":"Forestry Commission","text":"That this House is deeply concerned at the threat to the future of the Forestry Commission and the current cuts in its funding; notes with concern that more than one year after the Government abandoned its consultation on disposal of the Public Forest Estate (PFE),the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairshas provided no clarity on the way forward or guarantee of protection of jobs for the hundreds of workers employed by the Forestry Commission; recognises the outstanding public service provided by the Forestry Commission and the strong public support for keeping the forest estate under public control to protect the public's rights of way and the other services it provides; further notes the Forestry Commission provides exceptional value for money, costing less than a second-class stamp to each English taxpayer to fund the PFE's 258,000 hectares and 1,500 woods and forests that it still holds; further notes that independent economic research demonstrates that the benefits the Forestry Commission delivers greatly outweigh the cost, which is a tiny draw-down on the public exchequer for public goods and benefits estimated in the region of 1.8 billion annually; further notes approximately 70 per cent of Forestry Commission PFE costs are raised from revenue generated on and around the PFE via recreation, timber and cafe franchise; and therefore calls on the Government to publicly endorse the Forestry Commission, reverse its cuts and ensure it is funded sufficiently to be able to properly remunerate its employees and to continue to deliver a service up to the level of public expectation.","date":"2012-03-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"42442","proposer":"10141","edm":"1413","session":"2010-12","title":"Nature Reserves","text":"That this House is deeply concerned at the Government's decision to absolve itself of the responsibility for the running of nature reserves at the same time as selling off the public forest estates; is also concerned that wildlife charities such as the National Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds will struggle to take on these responsibilities without adequate Government funding; and calls on the Government to re-examine and dispose of its proposals for the future of nature reserves and public forests in light of the public outrage and strength of feeling on this issue.","date":"2011-02-08","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"42421","proposer":"11672","edm":"1396","session":"2010-12","title":"Public Consultation On The Future Of The Public Forest Estate","text":"That this House recognises the volume of public concern in response to the Government's proposals regarding the future ownership and management of the public forest estate in England including concerns about access, continuing biodiversity and the length of leases; particularly notes suggestions that the proposals are unclear that the amount of revenue generated would exceed the projected costs of such changes; feels therefore that the rationale of proposed sales is not clear to people; considers that the Government has not communicated its proposals well and has failed to convince people and many relevant organisations that these proposals are in the long-term interests of the UK's forestry; and calls on the Government to reconsider its position and to ensure that public consultation is genuine without predetermined decisions on ownership and that the consultation will determine the final outcome to ensure a long-term, sustainable future for the forests and woodlands of England that guarantees public access and the opportunity for people to enjoy them.","date":"2011-02-02","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"42409","proposer":"10428","edm":"1384","session":"2010-12","title":"Ownership Of Public Forests","text":"That this House is alarmed by the Government's decision to enter into a period of public consultation on the future of the Public Forest Estate of approximately 258,000 hectares of Government-owned land in England currentlymanaged by the Forestry Commission; notes that contained within the Ministerial Statement was the view that the present status quo is not an option and the main purpose of the consultation is to effect a shift in ownership of our national forest resources into privateownership; and reminds the Governmentthat the estate was started at a time of national crisis, timber shortages and woodland depletion, a situation still current and relevant in today's bigger picture of increased populations, urbanisation and theserious effects of climate change.","date":"2011-02-01","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"42377","proposer":"10527","edm":"1337A1","session":"2010-12","title":"Sale Of Forests","text":"after `District', insert `and Haldon Forest in Devon'.","date":"2011-01-26","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"42356","proposer":"11923","edm":"1337","session":"2010-12","title":"Sale Of Forests","text":"That this House notes with concern draft plans to sell off areas of public forest in England potentially including Grizedale Forest in the Lake District; recognises that public ownership has ensured biodiversity, carbon storage, sustainability as well as public access; believes that the value the Exchequer would gain from the sale of these forests would be outweighed by the long-term environmental, landscape and economic costs; and calls on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to consider alternative options.","date":"2011-01-25","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"42211","proposer":"24910","edm":"1199","session":"2010-12","title":"Forestry Commission Reductions In Expenditure","text":"That this House is alarmed at the 25 per cent. cut to the Forestry Commission announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review; opposes plans to sell off parts of the Public Forest Estate in England which could result in 30 million trees being cut down and job losses in England and Scotland; notes that the Forestry Commission in England manages 258,000 hectares of public forest, employing 856 people; further notes that the Commission manages the highest number of sites of special scientific interest, with 99 per cent. of these in favourable or recovering condition; regards forests as a priceless carbon storage resource and essential to the Government's efforts to achieve climate change mitigation targets; is concerned that education courses and public health programmes would be inhibited by the sale of public forests; acknowledges that public rights of way are lost under private ownership of former Forestry Commission land; furthernotes that at 9 per cent. the level of forestation in England is one of the lowest in Europe and that 69 per cent. of forest is already privately-owned; further notes that hits on the Forestry Commission Trades Union's website increased by 560 per cent. to 80,000 per month after this cut was announced; and calls on the Government to bring forward proposals to amend the Public Bodies Bill (Lords) to remove this threat to forests.","date":"2010-12-14","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"41172","proposer":"11923","edm":"249","session":"2010-12","title":"Sawrey Ground Forest, Cumbria","text":"That this House notes the importance of the Sawrey Ground Forest in Cumbria to the local population and the thousands of visitors who use it for walks each year; further notes with concern the proposals put forward by the Forestry Commission to sell 39 hectares of the forest to meet a national cash shortfall; and calls on the Government to ensure that the forest is not sold off and that access to the forest is safeguarded so that locals and visitors may continue to enjoy this historic piece of woodland.","date":"2010-06-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"39734","proposer":"10222","edm":"194","session":"2009-10","title":"Deforestation, Climate Change And Livestock","text":"That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production contributes 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and is currently the most significant driver of biodiversity loss worldwide; further notes that the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats into croplands for the production of animal feeds such as soy for intensive livestock farming is a cause of particular concern; recognises the associated impacts on small farmers and communities in developing countries who are often forced off their land; urges the Government to undertake an assessment of the scale and impact of this trend and the UK's role in it, and to gauge whether the UK's livestock industry has become overly dependent on soy-based animal feed which has such an unwelcome and unsustainable impact upon the environment; and calls on the Government to bring forward the measures necessary to reduce the UK's impact on global greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss from the livestock sector whilst avoiding the export of these impacts overseas and supporting a viable, sustainable and thriving UK farming industry.","date":"2009-11-24","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"38552","proposer":"10362","edm":"1391","session":"2008-09","title":"Heartwood Forest Project","text":"That this House congratulates the Woodland Trust on its Heartwood Forest project in Hertfordshire where it plans to create England's largest new native woodland for the public to enjoy for free forever; notes the enormous potential of the project for engaging the public with the natural environment; acknowledges the benefits it will bring to wildlife through buffering four small remnants of ancient woodland, a habitat which now makes up only two per cent. of UK landcover; further notes that it will demonstrate the wider benefits of woodland creation in the UK, which is regrettably one of the least wooded countries in Europe, including public health and the adaptation of the natural environment to climate change; and urges the Government to accord greater priority to woodland creation in its forestry policy.","date":"2009-04-29","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"37641","proposer":"12004","edm":"604","session":"2008-09","title":"DEVELOPING AND PRESERVING SCOTLAND'S FORESTS","text":"That this House welcomes the Forestry Commission Scotland's consultation on provisions for forestry in the Scottish Climate Change Bill and the Scottish Government's continued engagement with key forestry stakeholders; notes that the proposal to lease some woodlands would apply only to the most commercial of forests and would have no impact on the vast majority of publicly-used woodlands and none on key leisure woodlands; further notes that any proposed leases would have to include unbreakable guarantees concerning the highest standards of biodiversity, access and training and that absolutely none of Scotland's publicly-owned forest estate would be sold as a result of these proposals; and recognises that the leasing proposal has the potential to release much-needed capital for investment in climate change activity and could result in the creation of additional jobs in the sector as considerable new sums would be available for tree planting and other related activity.","date":"2009-01-27","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"37491","proposer":"13712","edm":"467","session":"2008-09","title":"Maintaining Public Ownership Of Scottish Forests","text":"That this House notes with deep concern the SNP Scottish Government's proposal to lease 25 per cent. of the most commercially, viable, publicly-owned Scottish forests to private investment companies for up to 75 years; further notes that the 25 per cent. could equate to 40 per cent. of production for the Forestry Commission, which could significantly diminish essential income for investment in maintaining tourist activities such as the 7stanes network and for creating new leisure-access initiatives such as mountain biking, walking, orienteering and other community woodland projects; recognises the importance of Scotland's woods and forests and the potential for raising capital for expansion of woodland cover; considers that Forestry Commission jobs and associated jobs are under threat; further recognises that timber and wood processing companies depend on security of wood supply and that Forestry Commission cutting contracts face an uncertain future if those cutting rights are taken away; urges the SNP Scottish Government to commit to maintaining sufficient availability of wood for these industries; further considers that the SNP Scottish Government should commission a comprehensive survey of wood availability and demand, in conjunction with Forestry Commission Scotland, Forestry Commission Wales and Forestry Commission England and with the wood industries; further recognises with concern the detrimental effects that this proposal could have on the Scottish landscape, economy and environment; and calls for its immediate withdrawal from the Scottish Climate Change Bill.","date":"2009-01-15","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"37332","proposer":"11707","edm":"323","session":"2008-09","title":"Illegal Logging (No. 2)","text":"That this House welcomes the recent publication of the Environmental Investigation Agency's Buyer Beware report into UK sales of wood sourced from illegally logged trees; is deeply concerned that the current system of industry self-regulation is not effective in preventing the use of such wood in new and existing UK building developments; regrets that consumers often lack adequate information to make truly informed choices when purchasing timber products; praises those retailers and suppliers who ensure that they can trace the origins of their timber products; calls on all retailers and suppliers to ensure that their timber products are sourced from legal and sustainable sources; calls on the Government to make it an offence knowingly to sell or distribute timber products derived from illegal logging; further calls on the Government to take the lead in securing concerted efforts within the European Union to regulate the importation of illegally-sourced timber products, as has happened in the United States; and further calls on the Government to promote its own public procurement policy for timber products to other industries as industry best practice.","date":"2008-12-16","status":"o"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"36765","proposer":"11707","edm":"2378","session":"2007-08","title":"Illegal Logging (No. 2)","text":"That this House welcomes the recent publication of the Environmental Investigation Agency's `Buyer Beware' report into UK sales of wood sourced from illegally logged trees; is deeply concerned that the current system of industry self-regulation is not effective in preventing the use of such wood in new and existing UK building developments; regrets that consumers often lack adequate information to make truly informed choices when purchasing timber products; praises those retailers and suppliers who ensure that they can trace the origins of their timber products; calls on all retailers and suppliers to ensure that their timber products are sourced from legal and sustainable sources; further calls on the Government to make it an offence to knowingly sell or distribute timber products derived from illegal logging; further calls on the Government to take the lead in securing concerted efforts within the European Union to regulate the importation of illegally sourced timber products, as has happened in the United States; and further calls on the Government to promote its own public procurement policy for timber products to other industries as industry best practice.","date":"2008-10-29","status":"c"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"35069","proposer":"10197","edm":"893","session":"2007-08","title":"Rainforests And Climate Change","text":"That this House notes the alarming rise in deforestation rates in the Amazon rainforest over recent months; further notes that deforestation already accounts for 20 per cent. of global carbon dioxide emissions each year and that curbing deforestation is one of the single most effective ways of halting catastrophic climate change; welcomes new EU targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent. by 2020, but recognises that any reductions could be entirely negated by increased rates of deforestation; and therefore calls on the Government to take up the offer from the President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, to place his country's entire 50 million acre rainforest estate under the protection of a British-led coalition, in return for development aid.","date":"2008-02-05","status":"c"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"34443","proposer":"10597","edm":"325","session":"2007-08","title":"SHERWOOD'S LIVING LEGEND LOTTERY BID","text":"That this House welcomes the Big Lottery's The People's \u00c2\u00a350 million contest; encourages viewers to vote following the screening of the four selected bids to be shown on ITV during the week beginning 3rd December 2007; recognises the strength of the Sherwood: The Living Legend bid in enhancing the environment and lifting the quality of landscape surrounding this internationally renowned woodland; notes the forest's contribution to tackling climate change; values the creation of new paths and cycle ways across a wide area in the Midlands and north of England; is concerned that two of the other selected bids have already received millions of pounds of Lottery funding; continues to press the case for a fair distribution of Lottery funding; and wishes Sherwood, the strongest and most sustainable bid, every success.","date":"2007-11-20","status":"c"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"34124","proposer":"11318","edm":"34","session":"2007-08","title":"Orangutans And Palm Oil","text":"That this House expresses concern about the growth of oil palm plantations in Borneo; notes that many oil palm plantations have replaced the rainforest, which is the habitat for the orangutan; is further concerned that increasing habitat destruction could lead to the extinction of the orangutan within five years; welcomes the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil; and urges the palm oil industry to take responsible action to protect orangutan habitats and become sustainable.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"},{"topic":"Forestry","id":"34174","proposer":"10006","edm":"84","session":"2007-08","title":"Illegal Logging","text":"That this House notes the problem of illegal logging, which is valued at 10 to 15 billion euros per year and costs producer countries billions in lost revenue, causes huge losses of biodiversity and widespread environmental damage; notes that research by WWF has estimated that the EU is responsible for at least three billion euros of this, with the UK being one of the largest importers of illegal timber within the EU; further notes that the problem of illegal imports entering the EU via third countries such as China is not prevented by the current EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Action Plan; and calls on the Government to support moves to introduce legislation making it an offence to import illegal timber into the EU.","date":"2007-11-06","status":"c"}]