Press release

No Mediaeval Curfews for Northern Ireland's Forests

4 July 2011

Friends of the Earth today stated its opposition to a "mediaeval" byelaw[1], proposed by Northern Ireland Forest Service.

The proposed byelaw would forbid access to Forest Service land between sunset and sunrise, unless permission was granted by the agency.

Friends of the Earth Activism Co-ordinator, Niall Bakewell, said:

"This byelaw is reminiscent of the arbitrary restrictions imposed on peasants by their feudal landlords in the middle ages. It would run completely counter to the principle of free access to green space for Northern Ireland citizens. Our right to roam on privately owned land is inadequate to the point of being almost non-existent. For us then to have restrictions put on our movements on land that we collectively own would be a blow to liberty that we will not tolerate."

He continued:

"The vast majority of people who are on Forest Service maintained land at night are there for perfectly legitimate reasons. In winter it would become almost impossible to enjoy this amenity without breaching the proposed curfew."

Forest Service recently closed a public consultation on its proposed byelaws, and Friends of the Earth has reason to believe that the majority of respondents on this issue objected to the curfew.

Mr Bakewell said:

"We fully support Forest Service in protecting and improving the land that they control on our behalf, and we agree with byelaws that restrict risky or damaging behaviour such as carelessness with fire, or littering. The agency should be able to police such behaviour without resorting to a blanket ban on access to their sites after dark. In fact, we would argue that the continued presence of law-abiding citizens on Forest Service maintained property at night will ensure constant public vigilance and discourage those who would want to use this land inappropriately."

He continued:

"We support those who are campaigning against this byelaw. We hope that Forest Service listens to everyone who has objected to their proposed curfew, and chooses to abandon this policy entirely. Forest Service land is our land, and we must be allowed to enjoy it without undue interference."

Notes

[1] The byelaw in question can be found in the draft Forestry Land Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 2011 and reads, "The right of access granted under section 31(1) of the Act is excluded between sunset and sunrise."

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust