Forests still under threat

KarynK

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The latest from H&H on this issue,
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/article.php?aid=306522

It appears that there has been a select few hand picked to decide the future of of all our forests whoever by and however they are managed. Potential users are VERY poorly represented on the panel.

Please if you care about off road riding in the UK share your thoughts with Caroline Spelman the Environment Secretary saying that Equestrianism and other user groups need to be properly represented on the Independent Forestry Panel. Lets fill up her in box ladies and gents!

You can email her :
spelmanc@parliament.uk

Or at her Constituency
631 Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 1AR
Tel: 0121-711 7029
caroline@carolinespelman.com

Also posted in LN
 

PeterNatt

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Thank's for updating us. This is what I have written.

Dear Mrs Spellman,

It appears that there has been a select few hand picked people chosen to decide the future of all our forests. Potential and current users appear to be very poorly represented on the panel.

User groups such as the British Horse Society need to be represented on the Independent Forestry Panel so that my interests as a horse rider can be fully represented.

This is an important issue for horse riders as we already have very few off road places to ride. Only 20% of public rights of ways in Hertfordshire have permitted equine access rights.

Roads are becoming increasingly dangerous for us to ride on and forestry commission land provides an ideal opportunity for us to ride off road.

If each and every of the 4,000,000 horse riders in Great Britain would write to her then I am sure that the government would take our interests in to account.
 

lachlanandmarcus

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Have written too! text below!
Dear Mrs Spellman,

I am writing to you as I am very concerned that there are reportedly rather a selective group chosen to decide the future of all our forests. Potential and current users appear to be very poorly represented on the panel. In particular, horse riders currently enjoy access to many many forests and as one of the most vulnerable user groups there is, with incrreasingly few alternative options other than riding on very busy roads with often aggressive drivers, we are extremely worried by the total lack of equestrian representation.

User groups such as the British Horse Society need to be represented on the Independent Forestry Panel so that my interests as a horse rider can be fully represented.

I would ask you to urgently address this issue since whilst walkers and cyclists can be reassured by the governments promises of maintaining statutory access, in England and Wales horse riders have no such rights (even though they do in Scotland!) and the governments silence and choice of panel members is very worrying.

Please also remember that private landowners may make all sorts of promises about permissive access but then find it very easy to forget about them, especially for horseriding (we closed the car park (where trailers could be parked) because of litter, we blocked off the entrance width because of fly tipping, we made it narrower as walkers moaned about muddy patches and didnt want to get their trainers dirty). Horseriders are the least well served user groups of off road tracks currently. PLEASE do not make this situation worse than it is, as it will result in more deaths on the roads, both of horses and riders and deny many more people a safe off road riding place to go.

Many thanks for your consideration
Kind regards
 

KarynK

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Thank you hopefully they will do something if enough people take the time to send an email, at least her personal secretary will get some work to do reading them all to her!!!!
 

OWLIE185

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Now all we need are the other 4,000,000 remaining horse riders in England to write in and they will then appreciate the amount of feeling on this matter from horse riders.
 
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