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NI Forestry Bill moves to next stage Print E-mail
Tuesday, 02 March 2010

Minister Michelle Gildernew MP, MLA has confirmed that the Forestry Bill, has passed its Committee Stage at the Assembly.

The Minister made the announcement following agreement from the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. Commenting on the progress made, she said: “The Forestry Bill has now passed an important milestone. This is the result of a very positive process of dialogue between the Committee and my Department. I also want to mention the important contribution of stakeholders in helping us produce a well balanced Bill to support the vision and responsibilities of a modern Forestry Strategy.”

The Bill will contain powers to expand forest cover in the north of Ireland, support sustainable management of existing forests, promote biodiversity, address climate change and promote recreation and tourism.

Placing emphasis on the diverse benefits and potential that forests have to offer, the Minister said: “Our forests offer great potential for increasing recreation, tourism, rural development, sport, health and educational opportunities. I want to realise that potential, recently articulated in my launch of the Forest Service’s Recreation and Social Use Strategy. I would like to see more use of our forests.

“This means we must actively promote and market our forests. We will need to engage with local councils, local communities and the private sector to encourage their greater use for quiet individual enjoyment or for organised events. This work has already begun.”

She added: “There is wide recognition that increasing forest cover can enhance the many benefits that forests already provide, ranging from environmental, economic or social. The Forestry Strategy, published in 2006 provides for a balanced approach. This is split between producing commercial timber, protecting the forest environment and providing increased opportunities for forest-based recreation.”

Oulining the provisions of the Bill, the Minister said: “The new Forestry Bill sets a new vision for forestry into the future and provides a set of important provisions, which will allow the full benefits of forestry to be delivered.

“Firstly, it will reintroduce felling licences to support sustainable forestry and contain a new power to obtain better value from the public forest estate. It also allows the Department to engage with public or private partnerships to maximise this opportunity and enables the Department to support woodland creation. The Bill will grant a right of pedestrian access, so that everyone can enjoy what our forests have to offer. This will support the new Recreational and Social Use Strategy for our forests, which I launched last July.”
 
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