Council progresses Forest of Dean Biosphere Reserve consultation after 90% of respondents found to support the main aims of Biospheres

The District Council asked residents and businesses to take part in the survey and share their thoughts for the economic and environmental future of the Forest of Dean. The survey received 602 responses. 

Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Cllr Chris McFarling, said,

“Thank you to everyone who took the time to watch the videos, listen to the podcast series, read the material and take part in our survey last year. It was great to see such a good response from residents.

“It is rare for a proposal for change to be so positively seen by local residents and the responses showed just how passionate our residents are when it comes to protecting the Forest of Dean for future generations. The vast majority of people want to see the local economy protected sustainably, they want increased focus on conserving our natural environment and they would like to see increased learning and education about the Forest of Dean’s ecology and biodiversity.

“These initial indicators align with what we would be able to achieve if the Forest of Dean were to become a Biosphere. However, an important part of the survey was to also find out what concerns people had with the concept. The impact on house prices and over tourism were among the most common concerns. This is something we will investigate and assess thoroughly before moving on with the next stage of the application process. We will consult with other British Biosphere Reserves to see how they have resolved these concerns.”

“We will ensure to keep you updated with developments as we continue to consider the Forest of Dean as a Biosphere Reserve.”

Key findings from the survey:

• More than 90% of people said that the three main aims of a Biosphere were important to them; conservation, a sustainable economy and promoting learning and education about the local environment.
• The most important economic concept of a Biosphere to residents is encouraging sustainable farming and forestry methods, with 97% of people saying it is important (and 82% saying it is highly important).
• This was followed by the local sourcing of food and products (60% said this is highly important)
• The most important ecological concepts are protecting the variety of species, enhancing unique habitats and encouraging a better understanding of how we can work with nature (more than 80% said these are all highly important)
• Improving the sustainability of dwellings and commercial developments, improving low carbon transport and flood prevention were deemed important by more than 90% of residents.

The survey also asked people to share any concerns they had about the concept of Biospheres. The most common concerns revolved around the impact on house prices, a surge in second home purchases in the district and over tourism. These concerns will be carefully considered before moving forward with the next stage of the Biosphere Reserve application process.

The nomination process to become a Biosphere Reserve should take between 18 and 24 months to complete. Despite this, the District Council is already taking steps to tackle the climate emergency through the introduction of the Net Zero Carbon Toolkit, establishing the Forest Business Climate Charter, reducing the use of carbon-fuelled power with its buildings and will continue to take action throughout 2022.

In a District Council cabinet meeting on 12th May it was agreed that a new project team would be set up to coordinate further work on considering the Forest of Dean as a Biosphere Reserve. This team would include the council’s Local Plan, Sustainability and Regeneration officers, along with external partners such as Hartpury University & College and the Forest Economic Partnership. The next phase would include further consultation and evaluation into the prospect of becoming a Biosphere Reserve and also increasing understanding for what this could mean for Forest of Dean residents and businesses.

Residents will have the opportunity to share their thoughts, support and concerns for the prospect of a Biosphere Reserve in the Forest of Dean by attending local plan forums. Dates and details of the first forums will be announced shortly.

To view the full report of the survey, visit: https://fep2050.co.uk/assets/Papers/The-Forest-We-Want-Report-1.pdf