Our forests may still be at risk from the Tories.

Just a few months ago, over half a million of us came together to win an incredible victory. Against the odds we convinced the government to abandon their plans to sell our forests. [1] Together, we sounded the alarm with a massive petition, thousands of emails to MPs and national newspaper ads. People power worked!

But our forests could still be at risk. When the government abandoned their forest sell-off plans, they said they’d set up an “independent panel of experts” to help decide the future of our woodlands. Now, the panel is up and running. They’ve said they want to hear ideas from thousands of us about the best way to protect our beautiful forests for our children and grandchildren. [2]

The panel has just started work. But we know they answer to the same minister who cooked up the plans to sell the forests in the first place. So, although the panel could make sensible plans for our woodlands’ future, they could be under pressure to rubber-stamp more sell-offs. Together, we can stop that happening.

We don’t have long. We’ve got until the end of July to answer their questions about our woodlands. We need to make sure that they get tens of thousands of messages telling them how much we love our woods, as places to play, walk, cycle, learn and much more.

Can you take 2 minutes to answer the panel’s questions now? A flood of messages will show the panel that the public wants our forests protected, not sold off to private companies. We’ll collect all our answers together, and hand them over to the panel as a huge, people-powered message – protect our forests:
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/forests-panel

The questions the panel are asking aren’t complicated and you don’t need to be an expert to answer them. Anybody who cares about our forests can have a say. They’re asking things like, “what do forests and woods mean to you?” There are five questions all together. But if you’ve only got time to answer one or two, that’s fine as well.

Over half a million 38 Degrees members have already done an incredible job of protecting our woodlands. Now, we need to work together to make sure this panel knows how many of us care about our forests, and don’t want the government to try to go ahead with another sell-off.

Please take 2 minutes now and send your message to the forestry panel now
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/forests-panel

Thanks for getting involved,

Hannah, Johnny, Marie, David, Cian, Becky and the 38 Degrees team

PS We’ve only got a few weeks to respond to the panel, so please send your message now. Get started here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/forests-panel

NOTES
[1] The Government scrapped plans to sell off the forests after 38 Degrees members mobilised:
http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/02/17/victory-government-to-scrap-plans-to-sell-our-forests/
[2] More information on the Forestry Panel:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/forestry/panel/
[3] Caroline Spelman, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will hear recommendations from the Panel before making further decisions on our forests
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/rural/forestry/documents/forestry-panel-spelman-jones
[4] More information on the Forestry Panel’s call for views:

Click to access forestry-panel-callforviews-110519.pdf

[5] You can add your thoughts about this campaign on the 38 Degrees blog:
http://blog.38degrees.org.uk/2011/06/30/protecting-our-forests-the-next-step/

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The Forest Sell Off Con is still on the books

Take a peek at this and then maybe take a peek at this

Is this the Government listening to the people or is it simply them letting us think we have won whereas they are simply slipping legislation etc in the back door?

Trust these fiends as far as you can single handedly throw a double decker bus.

We have not won the fight, we have simply finished an initial skirmish.

In case you think cyclists are represented in the decision making (and that goes for anyone who isn’t a ‘rambler’) think again. We are going to get stitched up and there is nothing much we can do about it unless we continue to make a stand.

Forest Disposal – from 38 Degrees – a well done!

WE’VE WON! The government has just confirmed they’re totally scrapping the forest sell-off. The phoney consultation has been cancelled. The sinister legal changes to pave the way for privatisation have been dropped.

We did this together. Next time someone tries to tell any of us that signing petitions or emailing our MPs doesn’t work, we’ll know exactly what to say:“People power does work. Just look at the Save Our Forests campaign”.

Over half a million of us can feel very proud of what we’ve achieved together today.

On the 38 Degrees Facebook page, members are celebrating. Fiona, for example, says “Fantastic news! And great for letting people see that actually there IS something they can do when they don’t like what the government does, and their protest can make a difference!” Even Sky News seems to agree: “This is a great example of people power”. [1]

38 Degrees members voted to start this campaign. We knew that making forests safe for future generations was something worth fighting for. So we signed the petition, emailed our MPs, put up posters in our local woodlands, organised local events, and chipped in for a people-powered opinion poll and national newspaper ads.

Local groups joined in, as did national organisations like the National Trust, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace, and celebrities who spoke out in the press. Together we stopped the sell-off plans. [2]

We need to keep an eye on what happens next, but we’ve shown that if forests are under threat, people power can come to the rescue. Right now, let’s celebrate that we forced the government to back down from plans to sell up to 100% of our woodlands!

Hundreds of 38 Degrees members are celebrating now on our Facebook page and the website. You can click here to join in: http://www.facebook.com/peoplepowerchange andhttp://www.38degrees.org.uk/forests-we-won-blog

And if you know someone who thinks writing to MPs or signing a petition is a waste of time, maybe you should forward them this email!

Thanks for everything you did to save our forests,

David, Hannah, Johnny and the 38 Degrees team

PS – 38 Degrees isn’t funded by big business, government or political parties – winning campaigns relies on thousands of us chipping in. To help keep us campaigning on the issues that matter to you, you can chip in by making a:
Direct Debit donation:http://www.38degrees.org.uk/Direct-Debit
One-off donation: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/we-saved-our-forests

PPS – Here’s what other 38 Degrees members are saying on the Facebook page now:
Fiona  – “Fantastic news! And great for letting people see that actually there IS something they can do when they don’t like what the gov does, and their protest can make a difference! Good work 38 Degrees getting this going.”
Phil  -“Well done! Now to tackle the planned dismantling of the NHS. God knows there are major problems – this will do absolutely nothing to solve them – we aint seen nothing yet!
Julie  -“People power can work !!”
Dave  – “It’s a seriously well done, pat on the back to all involved, from the 38 Degrees Team and us members to the public that got behind it. It goes to show that WE THE PEOPLE rule! Now to get the same response to the NHS campaign, the TAX dodgers and The Robin Hood TAX! And away we go! Woo-Hoo!”
Anne  – “Fantastic. This would never have happened without the power of the Internet and social networking. Let’s hope the same can be achieved with the NHS.”

You can join in at: http://www.facebook.com/peoplepowerchange

Notes:
[1] Forest Sell-Off http://blogs.news.sky.com/boultonandco/Post:537787ac-7aeb-4fb3-8e58-025a28254511
Sky News: “Forest Sell-Off Plans ‘To Be Axed” http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Politics/Government-Is-To-Abandon-Plans-To-Sell-Off-Englands-Public-Forests-Sky-Sources-Say/Article/201102315933326?lpos=Politics_Second_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15933326_Government_Is_To_Abandon_Plans_To_Sell_Off_Englands_Public_Forests,_Sky_Sources_Say
Independent: “Forest farce: Cameron to axe sell-off policy” http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/forest-farce-cameron-to-axe-selloff-policy-2217131.html

[2] Dozens of groups across the country organised Save Our Forests rallies and meetings. The campaigning also took place on a national scale, with great work by organisations like Woodland Trust, Save Our Forests, Save Our Woods, Save Britain’s Forests,Greenpeace, WWF, National Trust, Ramblers and The British Horse Society. All the groups involved are listed here: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/forests-we-won-blog

Spending Cuts and Forest Parks

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-12472554

…and so it goes on. Cameron and Osborne’s scorched earth policy continues apace and we haven’t even started to feel the real pain yet. Lock everything up, nail everything else down, the Government will take it if you don’t.

More forest sell off stuff – opening rounds in the East of the region

MP in the east of the region can be left in no doubt how the general population feel about the proposed forest disposal

Well done to everyone that attended. Maybe we all need to collar our MPs and let them know how we feel. I have still had no response from my MP Matthew Hancock. I hope it is because his post bag is full.

What worries me is the niggling doubt (thanks Graham) that the Government are up to something else more insidious and are using the forests as a smokescreen.

More forest sell off stuff….

An interesting article on The Guardian website. Read the comments especially the references to mountain bikers.