I was sent this email last Friday by the people running the petition to prevent the sell off of our woodland.
“WE’VE WON! The government has just confirmed they’re totally scrapping the forest sell-off.
We did this together. Next time someone tries to tell any of us that signing petitions or emailing our MPs doesn’t work, we’ll know exactly what to say: “People power does work. Just look at the Save Our Forests campaign”.
Of course, since I was backing this campaign I am delighted!
But the Forestry Commission does not have an unblemished record of woodland management, far from it. However, my preference is for the lessons learnt so far to continue to be implemented, and more consultation and innovation to be brought into the management of our National woodland resources, rather than a break up and sell off.
The thought of international corporations perhaps having control of our national resources is not something I am comfortable with. I want our votes to count and for those ‘owning’ anything that pertains to our environment to be democratically accountable.
There is now much well-considered research available and several knowledgeable woodland charities whose expertise should, in my opinion, be harnessed for the well-being of our woodland.
Unfortunately, I am not yet convinced the war is won, rather a battle.
Then a couple of days ago I received the following:
“Great news! We’ve won another campaign. Last week, the businesses behind plans to build the UK’s first US-style cow factory farm cancelled their plans.
What a great win for people power! Our pressure worked. By signing the petition, telling our friends, writing to the council and chipping in for ads in local papers we forced the companies behind the mega-dairy to cancel their plans.
We didn’t do it alone. Our friends at Compassion in World Farming, Friends of the Earth, World Society for the Protection of Animals and Campaign Against Factory Farming Operations also worked hard to stop these plans. When the Environment Agency weighed in to critisise the plans, it was the final straw-and the businesses pulled out.
This mega-dairy could have been the first of many. Factory farms like this are bad for cows, bad for climate change and bad for other farmers. While this is a great victory, we’ll be watching in case the company behind the mega-dairy re-launch their plans.
Together, people are changing events. On Thursday, we found out that the government had reversed its plans to sell off our forests, after a people-powered campaign involved over half a million of us. Days before, we discovered that together we’d stopped Donald Trump forcing people from their homes to make way for his golf course in Aberdeenshire.”
I would like to thank all my blog readers who signed the petitions/wrote and rang their MPs, and also those who live abroad for your support. There will be many more issues in the next little while I fear, but each must be judged on its merits.
Next on my agenda is the proposed sale of our inland waterways: I fear that this could also be disastrous and is a more difficult subject for which to gain popular support. However, faint heart never . . . . .
Good for all of you! So glad to hear that your voices were heard! So many times, these things all fall on deaf ears when there is money to be made by some corporation or government. Good job to all of you!! 🙂
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Thanks for your support. The cynical side of me says if they gave way, there must be some ulterior motive. Still, we plough on.
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I was pleased to read about this. But, as you imply, the battle is far from won, and I wonder what they hope to push through by conceding this.
J x
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I wonder exactly the same.
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Congratulations on this battle, but it appears the war rages on. Enjoy these victories. You have worked hard.
Hope you are doing well.
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Thank you. All we can ever do is try. Yes, I am beginning to do better, many thanks:)
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