AN PANEL set up to assess the future of England’s woodlands has criticised the government’s failure to protect public forest.

The Independent Panel on Forestry, comprising industry and countryside groups, was established following national outcry over the coalition’s plot to dispose of publicly owned woodlands to businesses, communities and charities.

Con-Dem ministers were forced into an embarrassing U-turn by the furore.

However, two years on from the publication of a panel report on the future of English forests, its members said it was “highly regrettable” the government had failed to bring forward legislation to protect the public estate.

The panel’s review said the public forest estate cost the taxpayer about £20 million a year but paid back an estimated £400 million in benefits to people, nature and the economy.

It said the government needed to value woodlands for all the benefits they provided for people, nature and the economy and to invest in the public forest estate.

Following a Queen’s Speech devoid of measures on forests the panel, led by its chairman and former bishop of Liverpool James Jones, has written an open letter urging political parties to commit to taking action.

The letter states: “The fierce public debate prompted by the government’s intentions for the future of the public forest estate demonstrated how important our forests are to the nation.

“The Independent Panel now urges the government and all political parties to make a manifesto commitment to legislate as soon as possible after the general election so that the future of our public forests is assured, protecting and developing the social, environmental and economic benefits of forests.”