Alliance renews partnership with Forestry Commission

The Sport and Recreation Alliance has renewed its ongoing partnership with the Forestry Commission in an effort to maximise sport and recreational use of England’s forests and woodland.

Forests and woodland play a vital role in the provision of outdoor sport and recreational activities. The Public Forest Estate is the most extensive and popular resource for physical activity in the countryside, with over 40 million visits a year.

Since 2012 the Alliance and the Forestry Commission have worked closely together to promote the use of public and private woodlands for sport and recreation and to remove any barriers to access.

This work – which includes a range of case studies designed to share best practice – will be built on through further dialogue between Alliance members and the Forestry Commission in the year ahead.

At a meeting of the Alliance’s Access Working Group Ian Gambles, the Commission’s Director for England, told governing body representatives that the Government’s long-term vision is to ensure that the whole population benefits from the Public Forest Estate:

“The Forestry Commission is delighted to be working with the Sport and Recreation Alliance. In balancing the needs of people, wildlife and the economy it is important to be able to listen to, and have dialogue with those bodies that represent the people that use woods and forests for sport and recreation.”

In January 2013 the government set out its strategy for the future of the Public Forest Estate, including plans for a new and independent management body.

More information about this reform is included in the Commission’s document, Towards a new Public Forest Estate management body.

Find out more about the Sport and Recreation Alliance’s access and environment policy work.

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