Selling of Englands Forrests and Wild camping

[jtbutcher]

If the selling of Englands forrests does go ahead, perhaps a positive slant is that Schedule 2 that prohibits camping in open access land becomes a mute point? That is, since the forrests will now be privately owned, all that is needed is permission to use the land. Or is Schedule 2 going to remain in force for those that continue to allow public access?

 

[MSkiba]

I woudnt say allowing wild camping is a positive slant as the scallies will litter the place with stella cans and fire pits.

Bushcrafters will eventually find a spot to camp, and leave no trace.

 

[jtbutcher]

I woudnt say allowing wild camping is a positive slant as the scallies will litter the place with stella cans and fire pits.

Bushcrafters will eventually find a spot to camp, and leave no trace.

I was thinking more that permissions could be requested the same as with Privately owned land at the moment.

 

[ed_hopper]

It will come down to what the new owners want to do with the land, but seeing as those (new owners) are likely to be either a) heritage etc groups or b) commercial businesses I think it is, sadly, unlikely.

 

[jtbutcher]

Private entities and maybe even heritage groups might be open to individuals/groups of people practicing skills, especially if there is enough people that they see a way they can "offset" some of the cost of maintaining public access. Obviously this depends on how the government intends to maintain public access.

Sent from my HTC Dream using Tapatalk

 

[Manacles]

I wonder whether permission might actually be very hard to obtain. I see this as a possible move back to the days before the first "mass trespass". Certainly if the National Trust get their hands on any of our woodlands it will be a fiver to park your car before you even step inot the woods and there will be no permissions for camping etc there.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Several woodlands that have been publicly owned, and then sold off on the quiet have seen the car parks gated up, and 'private property' signs on the fences around the woodlands...

Reported recently on the news with pictures of the locked gates and signs.

I very much doubt with the current claim culture that- if someone has an accident, its someone else's fault (just the way its heading) that any prospective private buyer would want anything to do with public access. Liabilty insurance then becomes a costly burden, risk asessments and on it go's...

From a business point of view... the FC are one of only a few in the UK that encorage public accsess and use. Pretty much every other company in the UK activley discorages (insert inforces) access on its property.

Food for thought.

Selling the woodlands will benifit a few vastly, and punish everyone else in the process.

Nothing good will come from selling it.

just my HO.

 

[northumbrian]

just seen on the news that the forestry commision is getting rid of a third of its work force ! I just hope the people on here who work for them are not part of the third !