A controversial plan to sell off some of Britain's heritage forests is not a done deal, the U.K. environment secretary says, but neither has it been abandoned.
Widespread criticism and public protests about the proposals were cause by "wild speculation," Minister Caroline Spelman told the BBC Saturday.
Controversy erupted at plans by the Forestry Commission to offload 638,000 acres by inviting charities to take on the ownership of "heritage forests," allowing community groups to buy or lease forests, and selling leaseholds worth $450 million in commercially valuable forests to timber companies.
Spelman blamed "wildly inaccurate" speculation, such a headlines suggesting parts of the New Forest would become a golf course, for much of the opposition to the plans.
Asked if she was backpedaling on the proposals, Spelman said, "No, not at all. I'm trying to make the point there has been a huge amount of speculation about what our proposals actually are."
The proposals were still being considered, she said.
"Absolutely, we are in week two of a 12-week consultation process, right at the beginning of the consultation process and I think we've managed to bust a few myths that we aren't about to sell off the forests or restrict access — quite the reverse."
The opposition Labor Party has denounced the proposals as "environmental vandalism," the BBC reported.
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