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Britain's Ancient Forests.

In the last decade, Britain's

last few stretches of ancient

woods have come under

increasing threat. According

to the Guardian newspaper,

100 areas of ancient woodland

have been damaged or destroyed

and another 500 threatened

by development.

And thanks to a loophole in the revised planning policy framework, that threat can continue unabated. »

The policy says that applications

to develop ancient woodland should

be refused, unless "unless the need

for, and benefits of, the development

in that location clearly outweigh the loss".

That's a genuinely scary clause.

It means that it only takes a few

local government officials to decide

that a new supermarket provides more

"benefits" than a stretch of forest

to doom that woodland for good.

Britain's ancient woods cannot be replaced.

They need real protection, not vague promises.

Ask the government to revise this startlingly weak policy immediately. »