Public money for public good? Public participation in forest planning

Abstract

This paper discusses the main findings of a study presented as an M.Sc. thesis in 'Public Understanding of Environmental Change'. The study used a qualitative research approach, drawn from social science, to investigate the extent of public participation involved in the scoping process associated with the development of the Forestry Commission's Long Term Forest Plans for private estates. The paper considers the way in which the social return required from public investment through the Woodland Grant Scheme can be identified through a fair and competent participatory process. The scoping process was found to be more participatory than traditional consultation procedures, but new practices are needed if citizens are to be empowered as part of a genuine process of participatory decision-making. Provision for public access is a requirement of the Long Term Forest Plan procedure, but the study revealed ambiguity in understandings of public access. Policies aimed at increasing access were not clearly understood as favouring either generalized access based on broad-scale public needs, or localized permissive access. It is concluded that national guidelines are needed on the nature of public access required, within which agreements can be reached on a local basis.