Defra wants the public views on how to manage England's forests

The Government is asking for the public’s views on England’s forests and woodlands, almost two years after its controversial plan to sell off publicly owned woodland provoked huge opposition.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has started an online survey to gauge attitudes to forests and their use.

It said it wants to hear views as it formulates its response to the Independent Panel on Forestry, which Defra secretary Caroline Spelman set up after the outcry and which recommended the public forestry estate be retained and access increased to woodland not in public ownership.

Defra said today: “As we develop our response to the panel’s report, we are looking at how we create more forests, manage all of those forests that already exist, make the best use of funding from a range of sources, get communities more involved in woodlands and make sure we have the right trees in the right places.

“As we work on our future policy, we want to hear your views and ideas on how you think we can best meet the challenges we face.

“We know what we need to do – we now need to decide how we do it.”

The short survey consists of four questions, including one on leisure use and access and can be completed online.

Defra said it intends to run further consultations in the near future.

The coalition Government badly misjudged public feeling when it announced in October 2010 its plans to sell Forestry Commission land in England to raise cash for its deficit reduction policy and cut costs from its budget.

Everest summiteers Sir Chris Bonington, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Annabelle Bond joined the campaign against the sell-off, along with the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and London Mayor Boris Johnson’s father Stanley.

Half a million people signed an online petition opposing the plans, and rallies were held across England to protest at the proposals.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman: 'We got this one wrong'

Four months after the first announcement, Ms Spelman stood at the dispatch box in the Commons chamber and declared: “We got this one wrong.”

Last month, the Independent Panel on Forestry, headed by the Bishop of Liverpool delivered its final report.

The panel’s chair, Bishop James Jones said: “The panel’s work over the last year has shown that our woodlands, managed sustainably, can offer solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing society today.

“We have consulted widely, visited woods and forests around the country and read over 42,000 submissions.

“There is untapped potential within England’s woodlands to create jobs, to sustain skills and livelihoods, to improve the health and wellbeing of people and to provide better and more connected places for nature.

“Government investment is now needed to kick start these changes which will repay itself many times over in terms of public benefit.

“We recommend the expansion of woodland cover from 10 per cent to 15 per cent by 2060.”