PLANS to sell off some of England’s forests to boost the public purse have been met with stiff opposition from local green campaigners.

Government ministers want to transfer control from the Forestry Commission, which owns 18 per cent of the nation’s woodland, to the private sector.

This land includes the 264-acre Basing Wood, Black Wood, Micheldever Wood and various smaller sites around Eversley including the Bramshill Plantation.

Basing Wood, situated between Popley and Chineham, is home to a variety of trees and animals including deer, foxes, rabbits and birds.

The Forestry Commission currently runs the popular Sense and Motion Project in Basing Wood, which allows a range of groups, including the elderly and disabled, to take part in exercise and wellbeing activities in a tranquil location. It is feared this important resource would be lost as private companies would control access.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough councillor Martin Biermann, a green campaigner, said he is concerned private owners would exploit the countryside to turn a profit.

He told The Gazette: “I have much more confidence in the Forestry Commission than I would with a commercial owner. I firmly believe if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.

“The Forestry Commission has the respect of the public, and I am sure they do a better job because their priorities are different. A commercial company would take things to the limit to get the best possible profit.”

Campaigners fear access could be threatened and work by the Forestry Commission to improve habitats and protect wildlife could be undone. Protests have been staged nationwide, and petitions launched to prevent the sell-off have attracted thousands of signatures.

Paul Beevers, of Church Lane, Chineham, said he is worried Britain’s woodland would not be retained solely for public use.

He said: “Large private investors, expected to pay hundreds of millions of pounds to buy or lease our public land, will want high returns and incentives, and will be focused on forestry or recreational services, not on public benefits, sustainable management and biodiversity.

“Our land should be held in trust for the nation, independently of Government, to ensure a sustainably managed and productive environment and benefits for people and wildlife, not just for private or corporate exploitation.”

A consultation on the proposed changes will run until April 21, and details can be found at defra.gov.uk and forestry.gov.uk.

The Woodland Trust is running an online petition. For more information visit woodlandtrust.org.uk