views on the leasing of Scottish FC woodlands

[Treemonk]

hi there,

was wondering what the community feeling was on the SNP trying to lease 25% of the Scottish forest estate to private investment funds in the name of raising capital?

To me it looks like an attempt at privatisation through the back door and I'm rather worried about the knock-on effects for England and Wales.

what do you all think?

 

[Barney]

have you a link to the full story?

 

[Shambling Shaman]

I would like to know more.

 

[Doc]

http://comments.theherald.co.uk/heraldtalk/2008/11/anger-at-plan-to-lease-25-of-forests.php

 

[Treemonk]

Link attached - see what you all think

http://www.fctu.org.uk/scotland/ClimateChangeBill/index.asp

 

[xpolex]

it would be interesting to see where they try to take it,although the cynic in me wants to come out fighting straight away living up here in wester ross theres evidence of a lot of "growth" that is really only making the communities more and more dependant on tourism and puttiiing the decisions affecting them into the hands of remote agencies

 

[Doc]

You can comment here:

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/forestryscottishclimatechangebill.pdf/$FILE/forestryscottishclimatechangebill.pdf

However, I think this is quite a complex issue and I am going to do some research and give this matter some thought before responding.

I do though have serious concerns about FC land being leased to foreign companies for timber production, for the next 75 years.

It also looks like they want to allow FC land to be used for windfarms and hydroelectric schemes. There are of course good arguments for and against.

 

[Treemonk]

One of the key problems is that the leased land will be the most commercially attractive. This is the land that makes some profit and is used to subsidise the services the FC currently provides. Take away the profitable stuff and the FC will have to cut back elsewhere because the government has overspent and is broke.

This isn't a question about delivering climate change amelioration, this is the SNP flogging the familly silver to keep them solvent until the next election.