What's the problem?
Ancient woods are special.
So often described as our equivalent to the rainforest, they are habitats of extraordinary continuity which stretch back hundreds - even thousands - of years. They are highly immobile and sensitive to change; beautiful; delicate - and irreplaceable.
Damaged woods are ancient woods that have been planted over time with conifers - known as planted ancient woodland sites (PAWS). Their conservation potential is incredibly high but there is a limited window of opportunity to restore them to their native glory.
The Forestry Commission owns hundreds of ancient woods.
Defra is proposing a new approach to ownership and management of woodlands and forests, with a reducing role for the state and a growing role for the private sector and civil society - AKA Community/Third Sector!
Our concerns:
Ownership is not the fundamental issue at stake for the Woodland Trust. It is the future of the forests themselves, especially the ancient woods, and how to protect their value for wildlife and for people which is the critical issue for us.
The threat created by possible sales of these ancient woods is two fold:
Some ancient woods may slip through the net of protection, while many others may go unrestored.
Government says they will be protected - we have grave doubts about this in practice.