Forestry Commission

Lord Bishop of Liverpool Excerpts

Thursday 3rd March 2011 Lords Chamber

[The Lord Bishop of Liverpool]

My Lords, the future of forests can be summarised by the ABC of accessibility, biodiversity and conservation. Whatever plans emerge in the future, the public clearly want accessibility to be a priority. Biodiversity has recently received more attention from the Forestry Commission, but there are those who believe—and I share this view—that more needs to be done to take us beyond the monocultural forest of conifers and spruces.

The Secretary of State has emerged as a champion of biodiversity at the recent international conference in Japan. She needs to ensure greater biodiversity in our forests. We lecture the world about the evil effects of deforestation. Therefore, we should set an example to the forest nations and adopt the highest principles and standards of conservation and sustainability.

The Liverpool poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, in an evocative poem, “Binsey Poplars”, laments:

“O if we but knew what we do

When we delve or hew—

Hack and rack the growing green!”.

I commend the poem to all who aspire to manage our forests accessibly, biodiversely and—if I may say so—conservatively.