Day 058 - 30 Nov 94 - Page 28
1 all the experimental work in the forest nurseries, which
2 are owned by the Forestry Commission, and all the
3 experimental work in the two research laboratories were
4 turned to improvement of the environment as much as to the
5 improvement of the stock of timber.
6
7 Q. So are we now, in your submission, beginning to see the
8 benefits of those policy changes in the mid-80s?
9 A. I believe this to be the case, and it is evident in
10 large forest areas such as Kielder in the north the England
11 and in the regions further south where changes have come
12 about, for example, the Forest of Dean has a very large
13 forest management as well as the ancient forest of the
14 Forest of Dean. It is very evident that the restructuring
15 is bringing about a totally different environment -- and
16 many other examples could be given.
17
18 Q. Would that be most evident at the end of this generation --
19 say, for example, that planting practices, which species,
20 how they were planted, that whole planting practices, the
21 changes that were made or considered in the mid-80s and are
22 being made now, will the benefits of that mostly be seen at
23 the end of the generation of the newly planted stocks?
24 A. Yes, Mr. Morris, because of the length of time that it
25 takes for a forest to mature. In fact, one would have to
26 say that any planting done now for environmental reasons or
27 for restructuring the appearance of the hillside, that is
28 going to take 15 years before you can actually see that it
29 has come about, and then many more years before the full
30 benefit is derived.
31
32 Q. Just going to move on to biodiversity. The planting of
33 North American conifers in British forests, for example, in
34 the flow country in Scotland, has that provoked some
35 controversy as to its appropriateness and its effect?
36 A. Yes, it has. It is a programme that was started at one
37 time by the Forestry Commission on peaklands and the
38 programme was developed together with the Scottish
39 equivalent of the Countryside Commission together with the
40 Water Authorities and a programme was started. Some five
41 years after that programme was started, the environmental
42 concerns began to be expressed. That programme has totally
43 ceased now as far as the Forestry Commission is concerned.
44
45 Q. When was the programme started and when did it cease?
46 A. It ceased in 1990. Precisely when it began, I would
47 have to refer, I think, to give you an answer.
48
49 Q. Approximately, though?
50 A. I think about 1982.
51
52 Q. So, in the 80s?
53 A. In the 80s, yes.
54
55 Q. It is one of the concerns that the planting in the flow
56 country of the North American conifers has altered the
57 ecological balance of the area and has removed habitat for
58 a great deal of flora and fauna?
59 A. The planting actually took place on the drier
60 proportion of peaklands and not on the wetland as such, and
