Monday, September 11th, 2023
To: Directors England Tree Planting Programme, DEFRA
…another almost two months have passed since your last communication.
Three years (and planting seasons) have passed since I acquired South Field.
Two years have passed since I gained Stage 1 approval for my scheme.
Nine months have passed since I submitted my appeal to the Forestry Commission’s rejection of the scheme.
While I am flattered that specialist lawyers should take an interest in such an apparently insignificant scheme, it is less flattering that no-one from your department deems it worth the courtesy to keep me informed of ‘progress’.
The impression I get, looking back through the episodic and confusing correspondence in this case, is of a very poor level of professionalism; or competence; or both. The Forestry Commission did not have a full grasp of their own processes; they insulted, threatened and patronised me. Natural England were grossly unprofessional in their dealings with me and both the RSPB and the AONB and everyone in between, have displayed ignorance, institutional cowardice and a fearful poverty of intellect.
If the government and its satellites are incapable of making a decision on a 4ha native tree planting scheme, one wonders… what hope for the planet?
Regards,
Max Adams