By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
The Forest of Dean’s bid for Unesco biosphere has been blasted as a “Green vanity project” amid concerns over a lack of consultation.
Forest of Dean District Council leaders have been working on a bid to secure the prestigious status which would put it on a par with parts of the Amazon rainforest, Yellowstone National Park in the USA and parts of Hawaii.
Biosphere status would celebrate the unique natural and cultural heritage of the Forest of Dean while boosting sustainable economic growth and attracting investment, they say.
But concerns over insufficient consultation and opponents fear it could turn the area into a theme park.
Councillors voted in May to allow for six months of further consultation with towns and parish councils across the area.
Lydney Mayor Tasha Saunders, who is among those who are concerned about the level of public engagement, says it is seen as a “vanity project” of the Green Party leadership at the district council.
Cllr Saunders is not in favour of the plans and believes the public has not been given enough information.
“Multiple people have told me the same, it’s a Green vanity project,” she said.
The town council still has concerns and their feedback over the plan is not positive and they “have not been inspired and engaged by the Biosphere plan”, she added.
“We asked the Biosphere team to come to our annual town meeting and do a stand and explain to residents what this is and what it’s about.
“We have been asking them to come to the town council. They then asked us if they could come.
“They gave us a couple of dates. Didn’t confirm them until the day before and we only had three councillors available.
“There wasn’t even 24 hours notice. I don’t call that a consultation. We asked them to come to full council but they wanted a longer time span.
“In my opinion, they’ve done it this way so that they can tick off the box. They didn’t really engage.
“When you say consultation, if you mean three councillors… that’s not a consultation,” she added.
“They had an opportunity to come to the annual town meeting to consult with a bigger public audience and they didn’t.”
She said the feedback they gave officers was polite but not positive.
A district council spokesperson said they are meeting with town and parish councils as part of their engagement on the proposed Biosphere designation and the feedback will help inform a wider consultation programme.
“We welcome the opportunity to meet with town and parish councils and are working proactively to accommodate requests for meetings wherever possible to ensure everyone has the chance to share their aspirations, views, and concerns about the proposal,” they said.
“As with any process involving a number of organisations, identifying suitable dates and times for everyone can sometimes be challenging, but we remain committed to ensuring councils can engage with the process and provide feedback.
“Feedback received from town and parish councils will help inform a wider consultation programme, which will also seek views from residents.
“As part of the council’s ongoing communications process, district councillors were informed that a meeting had been held with Lydney Town Council where constructive discussions took place about the potential positives and risks with the proposal.
“Details of future consultation opportunities will be published on the Forest of Dean District Council website and promoted through local media and social media channels.
“Further information about the Forest of Dean Unesco Biosphere bid, including its objectives, goals and frequently asked questions, can be found on the Forest of Dean District Council’s website.”