Friary Wood is a highly-valued natural asset both within our local community and to many others from more built up areas who enjoyed the manifold benefits of walking its ancient footpaths beneath the verdant canopy. We are deeply concerned about its future. The Forestry Commission - who have a primary mandate to 'sequester carbon' - have licensed the removal of up to 54% of this immeasurably important woodland destroying swathes of woodland and natural habitats. 

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT: Friary Wood is a vital ecosystem that supports a wide variety of wildlife. It nurtures precious flora and fauna, such as rare fungi and ravens, as well as nocturnal creatures which are supposed to be protected such as bats, dormice and owls. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of a wider area. The trees help in reducing air pollution, combating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and providing oxygen. They also reduce noise pollution and offer scenery that enhances our quality of life. The hamlet of Friary is dependant upon spring water which emanates from the surrounding forest and the deforestation has caused water courses to silt up within the valley.

The springs and pond are not marked on the Woodland Management Plan which determines the Forestry Commission's licence. The Forestry Commission are aware of this and other omissions, for example we still have not seen the ecology surveys that are apparently required and do not know if any were even carried out. 

SOCIAL IMPORTANCE: the footpaths through these enchanting woods are greatly appreciated and regularly used by schools, clubs (Beavers, Cubs and Scouts) and societies,  such as Bath Natural History Society, as well individual ramblers  and many walking groups for both educational and recreational purpose. It has been claimed that the felling is necessary due to ash die back and the trees are 'dangerous' to the public on footpaths, but this is hard to argue where the ash is nowhere near a footpath and large stands have been cut down far from any footpaths. Walking round the hamlet of Friary, which is under different ownership to the wood, you can see the regeneration of ash trees affected by ash die-back where diseased limbs have simply been removed when they overhang the footpath, not the whole tree felled.

HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE: The wholesale felling of trees is not only a loss to the environment and our locality, but also to our national heritage. Friary Wood is one of the few remaining rumps of the once vast Selwood Forest. The woods envelop the Carthusian monastic hamlet of Friary, providing the context for this Scheduled Ancient Monument which, uniquely in the UK, is still joined to its Priory by woodland. This woodland made the Hinton Charterhouse monastery a viable location and the monks managed it sustainably through coppicing. On the Woodland Management Plan map, accepted  by The Forestry Commission, the Scheduled Ancient Monument of Friary is not even marked.

Historic England supported the granting of the felling licence, despite the omission on the WMP map of the actual reason for them being consulted in the first place (the Scheduling) - but,  BANES and local parish councils were not consulted. Had there been a Tree Protection Order, the local councils would have been consulted and the public would have had a chance to look at all the details of the historic and environmental surveys and check that they were carried out properly and correctly submitted. As it was, large remote organisations, funded by us and lacking in accountability, made the decisions for us and we are concerned that they made mistakes in their assessments. 

A Tree Preservation Order (which can apply to defined woodland, as well as individual trees) would ensure that Friary Wood is protected by the public consultation which was not part of The Forestry Commission's process. The legal framework of a TPO would ensure that we can check that the proper environmental surveys are carried out and that the correct historical details are recorded.  Despite all the talk about climate change, the UK has the least tree cover of any country in Europe - and yet The Forestry Commission even offer grants for felling wood.

We urge the local council (Bath and North East Somerset) to recognise the importance of Friary Wood and to act promptly in creating a Tree Preservation Order. They say that because The Forestry Commission is the higher authority, they cannot do this. But if The Forestry Commission's current Woodland Management Plan for Friary Wood is in any way incorrect, or if insufficient ecological assessments were carried out, the licence should be reconsidered. At the very least, a TPO should be in place for when that licence runs out, so that transparent protection is in place to protect the woodland in future.

We  urge The Forestry Commission to reconsider their permit to cut down 54% of the woodland and to review their principle strategy of woodland management throughout the UK, to achieve their stated aim of 'protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands'.

By signing this petition, and passing it on to others, you are supporting the conservation of our heritage, the environment and the protection of a truly essential part of our community.  Please also copy and paste (with the title 'Protect Friary Wood') to:

Sarah Warren: Sarah_Warren@BATHNES.GOV.UK

Sarah is Deputy Leader of Council and Cabinet Member for Sustainable Bath and North East Somerset

Your MP  (Frome & North East Somerset is Anna Sabine:     anna.sabine.mp@parliament.uk)

Your Local Councillor (BathAvon South is Fiona Gourley:    Fiona_Gourley@bathnes.gov.uk)

The Forestry Commission: chris.mackenziesmith@forestrycommission.gov.uk

*Please note that any personal comments about the owners of Friary Wood are wholly irrelevant and unwelcome. They are currently within their legal rights, the point of this petition is to protect the woodland for the future by changing those rights.