The Kennel Club has welcomed the announcement made by Defra Minister, Caroline Spelman earlier today, stating the Government’s decision to halt plans to sell off England’s public forests.

The u-turn comes after the Kennel Club and other countryside groups rallied the nation’s walkers and dog owning campaigners to put pressure on the Government to stop the planned privatisation of public forests and woodlands.

The Kennel Club previously expressed its concerns about the Government’s proposed sale of Forestry Commission sites, as it was feared that new management and ownership could have compromised access for dog walkers and owners.

As of today, the consultation on the future management and ownership of the public forests and woodlands launched last month will now be scrapped, and all forestry clauses in the Public Bodies Bill are to be removed, said the Environment Secretary.

Ms Spelman also announced that there will be an independent panel of experts set up to examine English forestry policy, to report back to the Secretary of State later this year. This panel will advise the Minister on proposed English woodland and forestry policy, and discuss the future of the Forestry Commission.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Communications Director, said: “The Kennel Club is delighted that the Minister has recognisedthe massive implications for all the many groups of people who utilisethe forests had they been sold off or leased. The dog owning public accounts for a large proportion of those who enjoy these areas and we will continue working to ensure their access rights are protected both now and in the future.”

The Kennel Club is currently in discussion with Defra to ensure that dog walkers are represented as part of the panel established in the wake of this announcement.

For more information about the Kennel Club’s campaigns to protect the rights of dog walkers across the country, please click here.

ENDS

17^th February 2011
[054.11]

Date page created:

Categories:

 

This article has been read 1057 times.