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BSCG MEMBER'S VIEWS PRINTED IN 'BIRDS' MAGAZINE The threat to School Wood was highlighted in a letter from our Roy Turnbull in the RSPB magazine, summer 2004. |
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UK forests still threatened?
I am not surprised that Simon Barnes's lovely lady from Brazil belittled Britain's environmental history, saying, 'You destroyed your forests' (BIRDS, Winter 2003). She was right. The Woodland Trust reports, 'Only two per cent of Britain remains as ancient woodland today.' Surely, as Simon suggests, we have now realised our mistake? The UK Government, at the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit, committed itself to the 'restoration, protection and expansion of native woodlands in the UK'. Well, not quite. Come into the heart of the new Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands, close to the RSPB Abernethy reserve, domain of the critically endangered capercaillie. Here is a pinewood called School Wood, rich in broadleaved trees and dwarf shrubs, listed as an ancient woodland site and recognised by the RSPB as 'ideal habitat for capercaillie', home for red squirrels and crested tits and scarce orchids. School Wood was purchased by a company that first tried to fell the commercially worthless broadleaved trees and then applied to turn much of the wood into a housing estate with 48 houses and a business unit in 2001. This was refused but a fresh application for 40 houses plus business unit was granted in September 2002 by the Highland Council. Eventually the European Commission intervened and may save the wood, but the UK Government, despite its Jo'burg promise, did nothing. Simon's lovely lady was too kind about Britain. She should have added, 'and you're still doing it!' RoyTurnbull, Inverness-shire |
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