Ensuring the future of National Park forests

There has been much debate on the future of the public forest estate in England. 

This has caused concern for CNP because one-third of the public forest estate (nearly 86,000 hectares) lies within National Parks. These forests provide a range of hugely important benefits for the millions of people who visit and live in these spectacular places.

CNP is contributing to the Independent Panel on the Future of Forests - due to report in April 2012. We want to ensure that:

• Existing benefits for people are secured for the long term (including rights of access, restoration and management for wildlife, the historic environment and landscape)
• The Forestry Commission’s legal responsibility to respect National Park purposes is not weakened and that any new owner/manager is required to sign up to the same responsibility
• The future potential of the estate is fully realised, for example, the forest’s role in improving water quality, reducing flood risk, capturing carbon from the atmosphere and contributing to wildlife networks
• The ‘economies of scale’ and best practice of the public forest estate are captured
• ‘Commercialisation’ of forests, to raise revenue, does not damage their special qualities
• Sufficient public funding and support is available for all future owners to secure these benefits

Read our submission to the Independent Panel

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