Forum

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/massive-sell-off-of-forestry-commission-land-in-england-28297
there is a petition to try and stop this
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-forests

Signed

It does raise an interesting debate - the FC especially in the UK doesnt always seem to be the most up to speed on DH and freeeride MTB - Would commercial enterprise be more willing to build the type of trails that we like?

Whistler for example is a business as are all the ski resorts in Europe - they have to build stuff - jumps drops trails to attract punters - the FC has no need to attract anyone to the land it has as it doesnt need to generate revenue as aggressively as private business?

Coed Llandegla is privately owned and they are feverishly building stuff to get people to come - to build a new trail the owners just have to decide to do it - the red tape which appears when the try FC to sanction new stuff on publicly owned land seems to be significant.

On the other side if the sale is managed badly we could loose access to English woodland forever

Just throwing it out there.

Best thing is to save some money to get you own piece of playground:
-no horse riders
-no dogs (except your own)
-no rangers demolishing your build

As this is a hot topic its well worth contacting your MP to express a view

http://www.writetothem.com/

if you don't make your point you cant complain.

Despite my earlier thoughts - and after doing a bit more reading, looking at the cost of the land and the insurance, I cant see much other than logging and other non biking actives being viable on purchased land. Thus I cant see much good from the proposals.

it does feel a bit like the family silver being sold and I think will be regretted in years to come

Hurrah - although im not sure this is the end of it

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12488847

Sounds good, well for now anyway

From the BBC article - "The government is allowed to sell off 15% of England's woodlands in each four-year public spending period."

I never knew that !!

Amounts to substantial amount of land; 40,000 hectares or 100,000 acres, although as you say its on hold at moment as part of the review