Forestry Commission Consultation Hub

Members of the public and stakeholders were invited to the consultation of the draft proposals for the North Norfolk Forest Plan 2018-2028, to leave feedback to ensure that the plans objectives and proposals were considered and balanced. This was carried out via letters, emails and notices displayed in freehold woodlands across the plan area.

Primarily there was good support for the proposals with the majority of you agreeing that the plan achieves an appropriate balance of social, economic and environmental objectives for the woodland. Common features raised included requests to increase open space, more detailed information on specific management of conservation plans and concerns over the minerals plan for Bintree forest.

Comments and feedback were incorporated into the forest plan where necessary. Suggestions made to increase open space in Marsham, Horsford and Edgefield could not be implemented as permanent open space identified across the plan area is currently in poor condition. This will be addressed within a conservation plan to follow but at this stage it would be impractical to commit to increasing open space until what we have is managed appropriately. The conservation plan will contain more detailed information about specific management of conservation areas for use at the operational level. The plan shows Bintree forest will used for forestry purposes in the immediate future. However, concerns raised regarding the minerals plan for Bintree have been passed to the estates department to retain on file. The plan will now be submitted to Forest Services (FS) for approval. It is hoped this process will be completed by September 2018 and that the approved plan will be displayed on the East England Forest plans pages by October 2018.

Members of the public were invited to the consultation of the draft proposals for the Shobdon and Wigmore Forest Plan to leave feedback to ensure that the plans objectives and proposals were considered and balanced.

Primarily there was good support for the proposals. including the restoration of PAW sites, although there were concerns raised over definition of PAW sites within the plan area.

Interest in the ecology of the forests and proposals to enhance and improve the ecological value of the forests also featured highly.

Comments and feedback were incorporated into the Forest Plan where nescessary, prior to submission to Forest Services (FS) for approval. FS had no feedback from their consultation and the plan was approved for implementation on 20th December 2017

All of the land covered by this management plan is now jointly managed by Natural England and the Forestry Commission– this ten year plan represents the first phase of this new partnership and a new and exciting phase in the history of the forest.

The public were asked to comment on this new plan

The majority of responses were broadly positive and welcomed this new approach to the management of the Wyre Forest.

Common features raised ranged from those to do with how Wyre Forest is used for recreation and the pressures it brings to the Forest to querries over habitat proposals outlined in the plan through to economics of the plan and resources required to make it happen.

Forestry Commission and Natural England have discussed the responses and amended the plan where appropriate.  The Forestry Commission are also begining a process of drawing up a recreational strategy for the Wyre although at the time of writing this the completion date is unknown.