The skeptic in me thinks it has not changed a great deal. The truth probably is, the Gov' has appreciated tighter measures need to be implemented to guarantee the safe-guards...and that's it. "Forest sell-off faces the chop" Seems to be a huge amount of wishful thinking, and an even huger amount of BS. Who or what prompted them is anybodies guess...but there are plenty of party politics going on, and plenty of self-aggrandising pressure groups (and certain newspapers who shall remain nameless) who are happy and very willing to pat themselves on the back for this so-called U-Turn. It's all quite pathetic really. I read the Guardian all the time, but it does frustrate me how their articles are written. I guess media spin is everywhere. Their saving grace is they do allow others voices in too...albeit only slightly. That can't be said about many other newspapers. Not even momentarily. I promise only to read your response and not comment on it. That's a fair question. That's a republican question. Yawn. I think the vast majority of people that don't read the Guardian really couldn't give a toss. But, yes, I'd like to see if people actually gave a toss.
Facts...figures.. I do wonder if some of the figures actually refer to the wood sold, not the land. Most of the original FC plantations were conifers, designed specifically as a crop. Much of this is now being harvested. I'm not sure of FC policy, but maybe the crop is sold to a logging company, who then fell, remove and process the wood. Thus you have 10 hectares of plantation. You sell the wood to a logging company... you've sold 10 hectares of wood. But not the 10 hectares of land, which remains with the FC. Just a thought. Not really. The monarchy aren't selling it. But i respect your right to sidestep awkward questions.
I wasn't trying to side-step the issue. I might have been wrong but It was a genuine response. I really didn't want to get into that as I find inserting that issue into every conversation a little tedious. I thought we might be heading that way. A few comments made think that and that one was one. Apologies. Anyhoo...Do you know how many hectares were bought?
Government appears to have climbed down over its forestry sale plans - a yew-turn as one headline i saw wittly put it. No doubt they'll be looking at ways of getting it in through a back door somewhere, somehow. The view from one of my local papers - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...e-as-forestry-sell-off-halted-61634-28193263/ The Country Landowners Association weren't too happy, though. But then, they are the people who were likely to benefit from the proposals. http://www.farminguk.com/news/Forestry-U-turn-disappointing,-says-CLA,_19858.html .
