Founded in September 1919, the Forestry Commission began essential work to restore England’s forests and woodlands that had been lost during the First World War. Celebrating its centenary year in 2019, our guide looks at the history of the UK’s forests and woodlands, wildlife to spot and the best forests to visit.

This article previewed a number of key things he said. We also count Pam Warhurst who Chairs the Forestry Commission as a good friend and force for good – so we are biased in praising the outcomes of this review – but with the Bishop and Pam we are in very good company!!!

In terms of the detail of what is proposed the article tells us:

England contains around 1.3m hectares of woods and forests – an area about twice the size of Devon. Of this18 per cent is public forest.

The panel is expected to recommend that public access is improved not only in the public forest estate but across England by building paths and planting trees near towns and cities.

The panel is also set to recommend an overhaul of how the publicly-owned forests are managed, with suggestions it could be split between a commercial arm focused on timber and a public arm focused on access and environment.

But with a 25 per cent budget cut currently being exacted from the Forestry Commission, there is unlikely to be much more funding available for the publicly-owned forests where so many people enjoy naure and walking their dogs.

One final thought, in the context of the Localislm Act can pockets of local forest be designated as assets of community value?

This is after the legislative change, allowing her to sell off still more forest, which she had favoured previously, has been abandoned due to its manifest unpopularity.

According to the article, Mrs Spelman MPs on the Environment Select Committee that the sales would go ahead within the spending review, which runs to 2015, and the delay would not hit Defra’s budget. She said the funding had been “anticipated but not allocated”.

And once protection for access and other benefits of woodland had been addressed, “the planned sales will be in a position to resume within the period of the spending review, and won’t have an impact on expenditure”, she said.

The Environment Secretary also defended the consultation on plans to dispose of the remainder of the public forest estate to businesses, charities and communities which provoked widespread anger.”

What do you think the benefits of this approach are? Do you have any insights about why she won’t let it drop?