If you love your part of Matlock Forest and want to make your voice heard here is your chance to make a difference. Forestry England have started a consultation on a new 10 year plan. Please contact them, it is so important that they get a real sense of how important these woodlands are to local people.
Please email forestplanning.centraldistrict@forestryengland.uk to send your response.
Forestry England have today launched their consultation on the future Management Plan for Matlock Forest up to 2035. This covers all of the Forestry England woodlands near Matlock, including Farley Moor. For the purposes of this plan draft it is assumed that the Forest Holidays development does not go ahead, this is not because FE have changed their minds, it’s just how they are preparing their plan.
The plan is important because:
1. It sets out how the woodlands will be managed, including any felling, replanting or other woodland management works.
2. It provides the basis on which the Forestry England woodlands meet the UKWAS, UK Woodland Assurance Scheme and their international Forest Stewardship accreditation.
3. It covers how Forestry England will manage parts of the site and important features for the conservation of the woodland and managing rides, footpaths etc.
The consultation period is very tight and sadly FE have not agreed to extend the deadline. So we have just a month to respond to a 10 year plan!
Here is a link to the details of the plan >
We are also arranging for a hard copy of the plan to be made available at the Whitworth Centre in the next few days.
The plan is well written, well structured and has lots of useful maps and tables but it is also 46 pages of quite tightly packed detail. The consultation period runs until 19th December after which Forestry England will review the plan and then submit it to the Forestry Commission for formal approval.
Please respond, please let Forestry England know how much you use Matlock Forest, how much you value it as an accessible open space and for its wildlife. Please also encourage them to do more for Nature, heritage and public access. The more responses from the community the better!
Whilst this is not a consultation on the Forest Holidays development, you may wish to comment briefly on whether you feel the development fits in with Forestry England’s objectives for the forest.
Meeting 6.30pm Thursday 4th December at the Whitworth Centre
Finally, please come along to our community event on Thursday 4th December at the Whitworth Centre, Darley Dale where will be able to answer questions and help ensure your concerns are reflected in our response to the consultation.
