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		</div><p><a href="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/dont-sell-off-our-forests-plea.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" title="Celebrities have urged the Government not to sell off the UK's forests" src="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/min-dont-sell-off-our-forests-plea.jpg" alt="Celebrities have urged the Government not to sell off the UK's forests"/></a></p>
<p>Famous names ranging from Annie Lennox and Dame Judi Dench to the Archbishop of Canterbury have implored the Government not to sell off the country&#8217;s publicly-owned forests.</p>
<p>Almost 90 prominent figures signed a letter claiming that such a sale would be &#8220;misjudged and short-sighted&#8221;.</p>
<p>The long list of concerned celebrities, politicians, media figures and others includes artist Tracey Emin, model Lily Cole, chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, novelist Julian Barnes, actress Gillian Anderson, broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell, actor Richard E Grant and designer Dame Vivienne Westwood.</p>
<p>The letter by the Save England&#8217;s Forests campaign said a bill being debated in Parliament would allow the Government to sell the entire public forest estate to commercial interests on the open market.</p>
<p>It also expressed fears that over time, access to currently public woodland would become limited and its protection eroded.</p>
<p>The campaigners wrote: &#8220;We are an island nation yet more people escape to the forest than to the seaside.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our forests nurture countless species of native plants and wildlife. We have relied on them since time immemorial yet we are only a heartbeat in their history&#8230;</p>
<p>&#8220;We, the undersigned, believe it unconscionable that future generations will no longer enjoy the guarantee of a public forest estate.&#8221;</p>
<p>They urged the Government to suspend any significant sales &#8220;until the public has been fully consulted&#8221;, adding: &#8220;We expect our leaders to engage in real dialogue with communities throughout the country to create a sustainable future for our public woods and forests.&#8221;</p>
<p>Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has insisted there are no plans to sell nature reserves and promised that community groups and charities would play a greater role in protecting important habitats. The state currently owns 18% of forests and woodland in England but spending cuts could result in them being sold off or given away.</p>
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