AS protests over the privatisation of the region’s woodland grows, The Northern Echo can reveal that one 526- hectare forest has been sold to a consultancy company.
The Forestry Commission confirmed last night that The Stang, an evergreen forest, was sold in January for £3.25m.
The buyer has been named as BJSS, which has offices in Leeds and London.
The woodland is mostly made up of conifers and last year the site, about five miles south of Barnard Castle, produced 7,000 tonnes of timber.
Government ministers are considering proposals to sell off Forestry Commission-run woodlands in a bid to raise £74.5m over the next few years.
Yesterday, The Northern Echo gave its support to a campaign to keep the region’s forests out of the hands of private companies.
Nobody from BJSS was available last night to comment on the company’s plans for The Stang.
On its website, BJSS describes itself as a “software development and IT consultancy company operating in the financial services, energy trading and retail sectors”.
In September last year, a smaller 44-hectare area of The Stang was sold to Arkengarthdale Estate for £42,000.
The Stang is one of many post-war conifer plantations in the region, but about nine years ago the Forestry Commission launched a 50-year project to encourage a wider variety of trees to grow in the forest.
It was hoped that more hardwood and deciduous trees would attract a wider variety of flora and fauna.
Representatives from BJSS have already visited nearby residents and stakeholders to introduce themselves.
One resident, who did not want to be named, said: “I worked quite closely with the Forestry Commission because of how close I live to The Stang.
“The new owners have introduced themselves and it was very amiable.”
However, the man said there had already been minor problems for the new owners.
He said: “The Forestry Commission worked very hard to keep motorbikes out of The Stang because it was quite dangerous, but it was noticeable that in the weeks since they bought it, motorbikes have got in twice.”
• To support The Northern Echo’s campaign to keep the region’s forests in public ownership, sign our petition below.
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