Please help us!

[combatblade1]

Folks, although we are across an expanse of water the same happens to us both,government legislation being implemented under our noses with out our say being welcomed. please see the attached link and sign up on facebook to help us. In basic form they want to make it a level 3 fineable offense to be in a forestry commission wood between the hours of sunset and sunrise. This means that in the winter months where the sun sets around 16.30 you will receive a fine if you are caught in a wood. I know it seems unbelievable but i **** you not that is what they are trying to pass in Northern Ireland.

Thanks folks

Paul


Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to drop a quick email to highlight a worrying update to Forestry Service byelaws happening next week. Basically they intend to make it a crime punishable by fine to be on any Forestry Service land between sunset and sunrise. It's hard to understand why they would do this, but the bottom line is, if we don't do something about it pretty quickly it will be ratified and can't really be challenged.

I'll not go into it too deeply here, there will be a link below that will give much more detailed information but needless to say, if you wanted to walk the dog, play with the kids or hike up Donard from Newcastle, with these changes it will become illegal after sundown - that's about 4pm in winter!

Please read further here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2142

Please hit "Like" on this Facebook group and please mention it to all your friends / interested parties and encourage them to join in. The more people, the more chance of success.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fight...fter-dark-in-Northern-Ireland/136767126399001

Please read the article on the forum and fire off a quick email to the people who are making these decisions and let them know that we have a right to use our own public forests. Please also make your feelings known on the forum thread above or on the Facebook page.

If we act quickly we can at least try and stop this, if not then don't expect to be using your own local forests in the evenings any more!

Also, if anyone is having problems posting to the forum please email enq@ni-wild.co.uk with your problem. I think something hinky might be going on!

Thanks all

 

[georann]

Woah ok this isn't cool if it affects us in England (the fb group says Ireland)!

 

[preacherman]

Good luck with your campaign Paul ... I've hit Like on the Facebook page ... Not sure if a letter from the south would make a difference but one on it's way anyway .

Andrew

 

[Barn Owl]

Did the facebook thingy mate.

 

[Shewie]

That's not good

I'll try and get our lass to hit the link on Faceache as I don't partake myself

 

[Toddy]

That's a very good point Shewie. I don't do facebook, but Combatblade, if you can find some other site that we can help out by adding our complaints.....

Just a thought, is the Forestry Commission as a government entity not required to give folks a chance to have their say ?
After all a huge part of their brief is the provision of, and access to, the countryside for leisure and recreation.

Government Of Northern Ireland Forestry Commission
Hydebank
4 Hospital Road
Belfast
Belfast
BT8 8JJ

http://www.dardni.gov.uk/forestservice/

Best of luck with your access issues.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Matthew Pearce]

I've hit like mate, they may as well introduce martial law.

 

[filcon]

They are being totally un reasonable, I would go right to the top in a joint action and then let it filter down the way till it reaches the Government Of Northern Ireland Forestry Commission. In the meantime people power, how can they possibly police this law and the media would love the coverage. The Forestry commission will use forest fires and vandalism as their defence, I think personally its a backlash relating to the travellers coming up from the south.
The NI tourist board must be on board to oppose this countryside curfew.

good luck

phil

 

[Shewie]

Just a thought, is the Forestry Commission as a government entity not required to give folks a chance to have their say ?
After all a huge part of their brief is the provision of, and access to, the countryside for leisure and recreation.

I was reading in TGO magazine just a few days ago how the FC is now making it's money from tourism and leisure provision rather than traditional logging, it's surprising to hear how this can be so different across the water.

Can you get one of those e-petition things going Paul ?

 

[Toddy]

Don't see why not, but no idea how to go about it.
If it were Downing Street it's pretty straightforward, just contact them and set the ball rolling, but how does that work at Stormant ?

Any ideas ? or is this what the Facebook site is trying to achieve ?

M

 

[preacherman]

Don't see why not, but no idea how to go about it.
If it were Downing Street it's pretty straightforward, just contact them and set the ball rolling, but how does that work at Stormant ?

Any ideas ? or is this what the Facebook site is trying to achieve ?

M

Pauls original post includes a link to an outdoor pursuits forum in the Northern Ireland ...http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2142

This gives contact information, a letter template and some idea of what could happen in the rest of the UK and in the Republic of Ireland if it goes ahead in Northern Ireland ... This is a big deal folks and worth spending a few minutes reading and maybe penning a letter/email to one of the people on the list.

Thanks

Andrew

 

[Toddy]

Thanks Preacherman

I suspect that this might be ammo for the protest; How come the Forestry Commission can manage to survive in Scotland with our open access laws ? why can't it do it in the rest of the UK ?

atb,
Toddy

 

[Robbi]

might be some useful contacts and telephone numbers in this article

http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/i.../news-doe-060611-threefold-fines-increase.htm

 

[StJon]

I've hit the like button...

 

[Zingmo]

...the FC is now making it's money from tourism and leisure provision rather than traditional logging...

Totally unreasonable, I agree. Yet at least if no one is allowed in the forest it is left for the wildlife to enjoy. I find this sort of thing almost worse for the long term.

Z

 

[preacherman]

Thanks Preacherman

I suspect that this might be ammo for the protest; How come the Forestry Commission can manage to survive in Scotland with our open access laws ? why can't it do it in the rest of the UK ?

atb,
Toddy

Exactly Things are going well on the facebook page with over 250 people "liking" it already and some people recieving replies from the relevent people in the ministry.

BCUK has over 10,000 members so hopefully many of them who rely on the forest for the continuation of their hobby will jump on board and help out the folks in Northern Ireland by "liking" the page and writing an email.

Links here again ...http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fight-fining-us-for-being-in-a-forest-after-dark-in-Northern-Ireland/136767126399001

http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2142


Andrew

 

[preacherman]

Well folks they are listening ... just recieved this reply from the ministry ...

Dear Mr Mullen

Thank you for responding to our consultation on the draft Forestry Land Byelaws. Your views, together with comments from other stakeholders, will be taken into account in the development of the new Byelaws.

Regards

Jan Davidson
Policy and Legislation
Forest Service


Keep the emails rolling in ... it can make a difference !!!

Andrew

 

[stinger]

just got mine sent to all stated and all the local mps i could find. some are also on twitter too so they shall be getting tortured there too

looking forward to hearing something