Latest news with #ForestryCommission
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Government alerts over bug outbreak that causes eye symptoms
The oak processionary moth must not be touched in any circumstances The Forestry Commission is calling on the public to report any sightings of the oak processionary moth caterpillars as their hatching season commences. The "greatest risk period" has been announced, starting from May 28. These caterpillars are known for defoliating trees and can also have adverse effects on human health. The public is advised to not touch the caterpillars under any circumstances. People are also warned against handling or disposing of the nests themselves. Contact with the caterpillars' white hairs or their nests can lead to painful skin rashes, as well as eye and throat irritation. Should you encounter these caterpillars, it's advisable to maintain a safe distance and report the sighting through the TreeAlert portal. Sightings are most common in South East England. Dr Edward Straw, Forestry Commission Oak Processionary Moth Programme Manager, said: 'We're already receiving reports of homeowners being affected by the caterpillars, coming out in painful rashes, and it is important those living and working in areas affected by oak processionary moth remain vigilant about the health risks they pose." Professor Nicola Spence, UK Chief Plant Health Officer, has also issued a warning. He said: "I would advise that members of the public living in London, the surrounding areas and Derbyshire, avoid any contact with the caterpillar and its nests, as this can cause irritation. "Oak trees are an iconic and much-loved part of our British landscape. By reporting any sightings of the oak processionary moth to the Forestry Commission, we can all minimise the pest's spread as well as reduce their impact on tree health." The caterpillars are named for their distinctive behaviour of moving in nose-to-tail processions up the trunks of oak trees, sometimes creating an arrow-like pattern on the bark. They munch on the leaves, which hampers the growth of the oaks and makes them more susceptible to other stressors such as drought and disease. The oak processionary moth is an alien species in the UK. It was first identified in London in 2006 after being inadvertently introduced from Europe via imported trees. In recent times, the moth has been expanding its presence across England, with new infestations detected in areas previously believed to be unaffected as recently as last July. The milder conditions this spring have led to a faster growth rate of the moths compared to past years, thus advancing the peak risk period for both the oak trees and the public.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dorchester County purchase could bring SC state forest count to 7
A 1,644-acre forest tract in Dorchester County, known as Beech Hill, is to be preserved as a South Carolina state forest. (Photo provided by Brown Land + Plantation Advisors) The number of state forests in South Carolina could jump from five to seven. A land conservation group bought a 1,644-acre forest tract in the Lowcountry with plans to transfer it to the state Forestry Commission for management. Harbison State Forest in Richland County Manchester State Forest in Clarendon and Sumter counties Poe Creek State Forest in Oconee and Pickens counties Sand Hills State Forest in Chesterfield and Darlington counties Wee Tee State Forest in Williamsburg and Georgetown counties Source: SC Forestry Commission Thursday's announcement from Dorchester County follows a 2,700-acre purchase in Jasper County two weeks ago by the Nature Conservancy that was expected to become the first new state forest in 20 years. The Open Space Institute closed last week on its $11.35 million purchase of land called Beech Hill in Dorchester County, located between the Edisto River Wildlife Management Area and Givhans Ferry State Park, about 12 miles west of the fast-growing town of Summerville. The organization, in a statement, described the property as 'unusually high and dry for the Lowcountry,' putting it in higher demand for potential development as growth moves northwest out of Charleston. According to the Open Space Institute, it will be open to the public with for hunting, hiking and biking. 'This forested landscape represents a renewable resource that provides a multitude of benefits, including clean water, scenic beauty, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation,' State Forester Scott Phillips said in a statement. 'This is another win for our state, its residents, and wildlife as we continue working with our partners to ramp up efforts to conserve working forests.' The land was previously used by WestRock to grow trees for its now-shuttered North Charleston paper mill. The purchase includes funding from the Forestry Commission and the South Carolina Conservation Bank, as well as Dorchester County, which will contribute $4.1 million from its Greenbelt Program. County voters approved a 1-cent local sales tax for conservation in 2022. Management of South Carolina's protected forests is funded through timber sales on the properties, according to the Forestry Commission's website. A quarter of revenue earned from the new forest will go to the Dorchester County School District, according to information provided by the Open Space Institute. The Nature Conservancy bought the Jasper County property, known as Chelsea Plantation, for $32 million. Originally nearly 6,000 acres, other parts of the tract had already been sold to home builders. Jasper County property could become SC's first new state forest in 20 years 'Developing Chelsea would have ushered in a new era of expansion in an already fast-growing region,' executive director Dale Threatt-Taylor said in a statement. 'We weren't willing to leave it to chance.' The timeline for transferring that property to the state is still being discussed. Before these two announcements, the last time land opened to the public as a new, protected state forest was in 2004, when the Forestry Commission acquired 12,000-acre Wee Tee State Forest in Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. Conservation groups helped purchase land to add to the forest in 2023, bringing its total to 18,000 acres.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
It is time to stop the Forestry Commission destroying our beautiful peatlands
At first glance, one might imagine that the primary purpose of the Forestry Commission was the preservation of our ancient and most beautiful forests. Its website and posters depict broadleaf trees and sunny, sylvan glades. Indeed, the preservation of these sumptuous places is one of its main objectives. But there is another and arguably more important one: the promotion of commercial forestry. Much of the UK's uplands are carpeted in Sitka spruce so closely planted that it is difficult for any other form of wildlife to survive. In the Northumberland National Park vast armies of Sitka spruce, which produces low-grade timber for us as fence posts, kitchen furniture and laminate floors, march across some of our most scenic uplands. More than 20 per cent of the national park is carpeted in commercial forestry, much of it planted in deep peat, and the park management are powerless to stop it. The vast Kielder Forest, part of which is within the park, is among the least diverse habitats in the country. In 2011, in response to mounting criticism from conservationists, the Forestry Commission advised land managers to avoid planting in deep peat. There was, however, a large loophole. The advice applied only to new planting. Forests already planted in deep peat, as many are, would continue to be replanted, regardless of the environmental consequences. The first big test of this new policy has occurred in Northumberland where the 852 hectare Uswayford forest, at the head of the beautiful Coquet valley, is about to be harvested. The national park authority enjoys good relations with the local forestry management and a period of negotiation resulted in a suggested compromise that one third of the forest in the most sensitive areas would not be replanted, another third would be replanted with native broadleaf trees, and the final third would revert to commercial conifers. However, when this proposition was put to the Commission's senior management, they rejected it outright. Instead, they insisted on 71 per cent of the site being replanted with conifers, 21 per cent with broadleaf trees, and just under eight per cent reserved for the restoration of peat. When challenged, Forestry England replies that they have been set targets by the Government to reduce the import of timber imports, much of which comes from Scandinavia and Canada. As it happens, national parks have targets, too. Ironically, they too are set by Defra, the very Government department which sets targets for the Forestry Commission. Landowners in the Northumberland national park are funded by the taxpayer to restore damaged peatland, and the park authority has a successful programme doing exactly that. The Forestry Commission also deploys another argument. Namely, that conifer plantations are as effective as peat bogs at absorbing carbon dioxide. The weakness of this argument is that commercial forests are harvested every 30 or 40 years and turned into products which have a limited shelf life, whereas peat continues to absorb carbon indefinitely. It is also worth bearing in mind that, once peat has been replanted three times, it is beyond salvation. The case for restoring the Uswayford deep peat is that, thus far, it has only been replanted once; It could still be saved. Ultimately Defra ministers need to decide on priorities. If they are interested in preserving ancient peat and the carbon locked inside it, they need to stop the Forestry Commission from destroying them. A good place to start would be in the national parks. Happily, there is an obvious solution at hand. At the moment, although most national parks have responsibility for planning and development, forestry is exempted. Perhaps the time has come for the planning powers of the national parks to be extended to cover forestry, rather than allowing the Forestry Commission to be its own judge and jury. Chris Mullin is a former Environment minister and a member of the Northumberland National Park Authority. He is writing in a personal capacity Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
It is time to stop the Forestry Commission destroying our beautiful peatlands
At first glance, one might imagine that the primary purpose of the Forestry Commission was the preservation of our ancient and most beautiful forests. Its website and posters depict broadleaf trees and sunny, sylvan glades. Indeed, the preservation of these sumptuous places is one of its main objectives. But there is another and arguably more important one: the promotion of commercial forestry. Much of the UK's uplands are carpeted in Sitka spruce so closely planted that it is difficult for any other form of wildlife to survive. In the Northumberland National Park vast armies of Sitka spruce, which produces low-grade timber for us as fence posts, kitchen furniture and laminate floors, march across some of our most scenic uplands. More than 20 per cent of the national park is carpeted in commercial forestry, much of it planted in deep peat, and the park management are powerless to stop it. The vast Kielder Forest, part of which is within the park, is among the least diverse habitats in the country. In 2011, in response to mounting criticism from conservationists, the Forestry Commission advised land managers to avoid planting in deep peat. There was, however, a large loophole. The advice applied only to new planting. Forests already planted in deep peat, as many are, would continue to be replanted, regardless of the environmental consequences. The first big test of this new policy has occurred in Northumberland where the 852 hectare Uswayford forest, at the head of the beautiful Coquet valley, is about to be harvested. The national park authority enjoys good relations with the local forestry management and a period of negotiation resulted in a suggested compromise that one third of the forest in the most sensitive areas would not be replanted, another third would be replanted with native broadleaf trees, and the final third would revert to commercial conifers. However, when this proposition was put to the Commission's senior management, they rejected it outright. Instead, they insisted on 71 per cent of the site being replanted with conifers, 21 per cent with broadleaf trees, and just under eight per cent reserved for the restoration of peat. When challenged, Forestry England replies that they have been set targets by the Government to reduce the import of timber imports, much of which comes from Scandinavia and Canada. As it happens, national parks have targets, too. Ironically, they too are set by Defra, the very Government department which sets targets for the Forestry Commission. Landowners in the Northumberland national park are funded by the taxpayer to restore damaged peatland, and the park authority has a successful programme doing exactly that. The Forestry Commission also deploys another argument. Namely, that conifer plantations are as effective as peat bogs at absorbing carbon dioxide. The weakness of this argument is that commercial forests are harvested every 30 or 40 years and turned into products which have a limited shelf life, whereas peat continues to absorb carbon indefinitely. It is also worth bearing in mind that, once peat has been replanted three times, it is beyond salvation. The case for restoring the Uswayford deep peat is that, thus far, it has only been replanted once; It could still be saved. Ultimately Defra ministers need to decide on priorities. If they are interested in preserving ancient peat and the carbon locked inside it, they need to stop the Forestry Commission from destroying them. A good place to start would be in the national parks. Happily, there is an obvious solution at hand. At the moment, although most national parks have responsibility for planning and development, forestry is exempted. Perhaps the time has come for the planning powers of the national parks to be extended to cover forestry, rather than allowing the Forestry Commission to be its own judge and jury.
The Herald Scotland
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Leading figure in forestry who saw off Thatcher reform dies
Died: April 28, 2025 George Dennis Holmes, who has died age 98, was a towering figure in British forestry and a man whose influence stretched far beyond the forests he so expertly managed. He leaves behind a legacy of dedication, leadership and integrity that shaped the British Forestry Commission and touched countless lives. Born in 1926 in the picturesque town of Conwy, North Wales, George's early years were steeped in the natural beauty that would inspire his lifelong passion for forestry. He attended John Brights School in Llandudno before pursuing higher education at the University College of North Wales. There, he graduated in 1948 with first class honours in botany specialising in forestry, a foundation that would underpin a remarkable career devoted to the stewardship of Britain's woodlands. George joined the Forestry Commission in 1949, embarking on a career that would span nearly four decades. His early postings took him across England, Wales and Scotland, reflecting his versatility and deep commitment to the commission's mission. In 1974 when the commission's headquarters relocated from London to Edinburgh, George moved north, marking the beginning of a pivotal chapter in his career. Rising steadily through the ranks over the years, George held numerous key positions before being appointed director general and deputy chairman in 1976, a role he held with distinction until his retirement in 1986. His tenure coincided with a period of significant change and challenges for the commission, including debates over its future direction and governance. One of George's most notable achievements was his instrumental role in preserving the Forestry Commission as a public body. During the Thatcher government, when the idea of privatising the commission was seriously considered, George's persuasive skills and steadfast commitment to public service came to the fore. He forged a crucial alliance with Sir David Montgomery, the government-appointed chairman tasked with exploring privatisation. Together they successfully convinced Margaret Thatcher that privatisation would be a mistake, ensuring the commission's continued public stewardship of Britain's forests. George's expertise and leadership were widely recognised. In 1979 he was appointed Companion of the Order of Bath (CB), a testament to his distinguished service. His academic contributions were honoured by Aberdeen University, which appointed him honorary professor of forestry in 1984. The following year, the University of Wales awarded him an honorary doctorate of science degree, further acknowledging his impact on forestry science and education. Read more Since retiring from the Forestry Commission in 1986, George held a number of board positions. He was a director at the Bank of Scotland Eastern Board from 1987 to 1994 and a board member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board 1989 to 1994. He was also chairman of The Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forests. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1982 and became a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Foresters in 1973. His international standing was cemented when he was made an honorary member of the Society of American Foresters, an accolade reflecting his global influence in the field. Somehow George also found time for leisure activities. He was a keen golfer and a member of The Royal Burgess Golf Club in Edinburgh. In addition he was an accomplished fly fisherman with the Pescatarians, a group within the Edinburgh Rotary club, of which he was president in 1988. Despite his professional achievements, George was, at heart, a devoted family man. He married Sheila in 1953, and their partnership spanned an extraordinary 61 years until her death in January 2022. Together, they raised three daughters, Carolyn, Deborah, and Nicola. The family endured the sorrow of losing Deborah in 2011, a loss deeply felt by all who knew them. George's warmth and generosity extended beyond his family. He became closely involved with the Scottish Council for Spastics (later renamed in 1996 Capability Scotland), serving as chairman of the board from 1985 to 1998 before becoming president. His leadership helped guide the organisation through a period of growth and transformation, reflecting his enduring commitment to social causes and community welfare. Those who knew George speak of a man rich in character, possessing a sharp intellect, a quick wit, and an unshakable honesty. His sense of humour was a hallmark of his personality, often lightening the gravitas of his professional responsibilities. Yet beneath his genial exterior lay a resolute integrity and a capacity to persuade and inspire, qualities that earned him respect across the forestry sector and beyond. In later years, George and Sheila relocated to Hampshire to be closer to his family. Though mobility challenges required him to use a wheelchair in his final years, his mental acuity remained undiminished. He remained as sharp and insightful as ever, reflecting a lifetime of wisdom and experience. George leaves behind a legacy that is both profound and enduring. His stewardship of the Forestry Commission ensured that it remained a public trust, managed sustainably for generations to come. His influence extended into academia, social causes and the lives of those privileged to know him personally. He was a man who made a significant difference through his professional achievements, his community service and his unwavering dedication to family. As we remember George, we celebrate a life well lived, marked by service, leadership and kindness. May he rest in peace, surrounded by the forests he loved and the family he cherished. ALAN DICKSON At The Herald, we carry obituaries of notable people from the worlds of business, politics, arts and sport but sometimes we miss people who have led extraordinary lives. That's where you come in. If you know someone who deserves an obituary, please consider telling us about their lives. Contact
