Have your say on England’s publicly owned forests

PEOPLE in Cheshire and Merseyside who live close to, work with, or enjoy the region’s woods and forests are being given the chance to have their say about the role that publicly owned forests – the Public Forest Estate - in England should play in the years ahead.

The Public Forest Estate is managed by the Forestry Commission and includes 258,000 hectares of land of which 25,000 hectares are in the North West.

The region includes 3 forest parks – Grizedale and Whinlatter in Cumbria and Delamere in Cheshire – as well as many other important forests and woodlands such as Gisburn in Lancashire. There are also increasing areas of woodland in Manchester and Merseyside, such as Moston Vale in Salford and Bidston Moss and Sutton Manor in St Helens, thanks to the Newlands project which is funded by the North West Regional Development Agency.

These woods and forests provide important public benefits including providing sites for recreation such as walking and mountain biking, looking after wildlife, helping to create beautiful landscapes, growing timber, supporting businesses and jobs, helping to prevent floods and locking up carbon.

Dr Eunice Simmons who chairs the Forestry Commission’s Regional Advisory Committee in North West England, says:- “The 21st Century is bringing increasing pressure on the countryside and our towns and cities from climate change, pollution, and development. It is also bringing opportunities such as globalisation and moving to a low carbon economy. The Forestry Commission is already playing an important role in helping us meet these challenges and make the most of the opportunities. Now we are having this consultation to give everyone the chance to take part in a Study to work out the role of a modern Public Forest Estate for the 21st century. These woods and forests are for the benefit of everyone so we hope that as many people as possible will give us their views.”

The Study of the Public Forest Estate was announced by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn. Trees grow slowly and woods and forests develop over a long period of time so the choices made now will provide the framework for decisions about the Public Forest Estate for decades to come.

People are being asked to consider questions such as what sort of leisure facilities they want to be provided in publicly owned forests, how should these facilities be paid for and what role can the Public Forest Estate play in helping society to adapt to climate change?  This is the first time that a long-term mandate has been sought to shape the future of England’s Public Forest Estate.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said:- “Our publicly-owned woods and forests are good for wildlife, the environment and our wellbeing. They give us green space for healthy exercise and recreation, and many other social, economic and environmental benefits including important nature conservation and more than a million tonnes of sustainable timber.  We want to hear your views on the future role of the Forestry Commission Public Forest Estate.”

Responses to the consultation will provide key evidence for the Study and the Forestry Commission wants as many people as possible to get involved. A copy of the full consultation document and an online response form is available online. 

A short questionnaire is also are available online and at Forestry Commission visitor centres. This asks people to list the top 5 things they would like the Forestry Commission to do in the future. 

The consultation finishes on 28 September 2009.  For more information on the forestry commission in North West England including the forests nearest to you go to their website.

Don’t take the p –

AS the recession continues to bite and unemployment levels soar, cash-strapped North West attempting to have a go at electrical repairs and improvements are being urged to think again or risk putting themselves in danger and their homes being illegal.

‘Don’t Take the P out of Your Home’, a new campaign fronted by home-improvement expert Linda Barker, for NICEIC, the UK’s leading regulatory body for the electrical contracting industry, aims to make homeowners aware that any electrical work carried out in the home needs to meet the requirements of Part P of the Building Regulations to make it safe and legal.

The launch follows a poll of over 3,000 consumers carried out by NICEIC which showed that 59% of homeowners in the North West would happily have a go at home improvements themselves rather than employ a qualified electrician. Worse still, 30% admit they are now even more likely to dabble in home DIY as a result of money worries and the financial strain brought on by the current recession.

Of this new breed of ‘have a go’ DIYers, 34% said they would attempt to rewire a socket, 26% would add a new light switch and 28% would go so far as to install new garden lighting. With around 12,500 house fires, 750 serious injuries and 10 deaths caused by unsafe electrics in the home each year, this laidback attitude to electrical work presents a major cause for concern. In particular, installing electrical appliances outdoors is even more hazardous because of the presence of water and damp conditions.

Devised in order to protect homeowners from the occurrence of such risks, Part P of the Building Regulations was introduced by the Government in January 2005. The law, which applies to England and Wales, aims to improve electrical safety in the home and prevent the number of accidents caused by faulty electrical work.  Under the law, homeowners who choose to do their own electrical work must notify their local building control office before beginning any work and pay the appropriate fee for them to inspect the work, after which they will receive an electrical safety certificate if confirmed as safe.

Shockingly, the survey showed that, despite being enforced over 4 years ago, only 20% consumers in the North West have actually heard of Part P of the Building Regulations. Unsurprisingly then, 76% aren’t aware that certain electrical work is subject to this law and 63% are oblivious to the requirement for an electrical safety certificate, as part of the Home Information Pack (HIP).

Linda Barker, NICEIC spokesperson says:- “People are far too casual about electrics in the home, especially in the current economic climate when it is too tempting to try to save a few pennies where possible. However, this can come at a price. What many fail to realise is that by attempting to do DIY electrics they could be putting their family’s lives at risk. Also, without the right electrical safety certificates, they may face difficulty when it comes to selling their home. Even if it might appear to be a simple job, always use a qualified electrician.”

Tony Cable at NICEIC adds:- “It is important to remember that Government building regulations, such as Part P, have been put in place for a reason and shouldn’t be considered unessential. It is always advisable to enlist the help of a qualified electrician registered with a certified government body, such as NICEIC.”

All work carried out by an NICEIC registered electrician is tested and certified as safe. The certificate issued for the work will prove to the homeowner and any future buyers that the work has been carried out correctly.  For more information on your obligations under Part P of the Building Regulations and advice on registered electricians visit:- donttakethep.co.uk.