A PANEL which will advise the Government on the future of forests and woods in England will arrive in Northumberland next week.
In February, the Government rapidly climbed down on the proposed sale of 85% of Forestry Commission land in the face of widespread public opposition.
But there are still major concerns over the impact of big cuts in the Forestry Commission’s budget.
Thousands of opponents of the sell-off plans staged rallies at Chopwell Wood in Gateshead, Hamsterley Forest in County Durham and Whinlatter and Grizedale forests in the Lake District.
The Independent Panel on Forestry will be in Northumberland on Monday and Tuesday, with a visit to Kielder Water and Forest Park in Northumberland a priority.
It will hold a workshop in Hexham on Monday evening with invited community, organisation and group representatives from across the North East in attendance. The aim of the workshop is so the panel can hear first-hand the views from representatives of local communities and organisations such as parish councils, access groups, local nature societies and businesses.
All the representatives invited have been encouraged to draw in views from the groups and communities they represent.
The Journal revealed last week how up to two million trees, planted after the Second World War, will be felled annually for the next five years in Kielder Water & Forest Park.
About 440,000 tonnes of timber worth around £12m will be produced in Kielder this year – over 25% of all the wood harvested in England.
The forest is also a key tourist and recreational attraction and wildlife stronghold - not least for red squirrels and now ospreys.
The panel will learn about how forestry is contributing to tourism development in Northumberland and experts will also speak to members about forest biodiversity.
Panel members will also watch video presentation during a tour of Egger (UK) Limited in Hexham, where wood based panels are manufactured.
People can also make their voice heard through the “call for views”. Details about the Panel’s terms of reference and their “call for views”, which closes on July 31, can be found on http://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/.
The panel’s final report is due in April.
