Scene 14 Pendle

Fells to Forests

Grindleton Fell

Both bracken and trees looking towards Pendle with its usual cloud (The Grindletonions were a form of Diggers)

Much of the fell land was originally forest, till we cut it down several hundred years ago to build warships that could colonise the world for spices and exotic foods. But that land that was forest could today grow forests again, some of which could be used for biofuel and some for fruit and nuts. Not impossible. Afforesting (growing forest where once it grew) grouse moors would improve carbon footprint more than any other single action. But landowners are not going to like it.

Pendle Forest was home of the infamous Pendle Witch hangings Pendle Witch Trial Trail)

Downham

Nestling below Pendle, virtually unchanged since medieval times, is the beautiful village of Downham. It remains unchanged because the Lords of the manor have remain unchanged too since the Assheton family took it over in 1558. They still own the village, pub (Assheton Arms) and 32 estate cottages. There are no road markings, aerials, overhead wires, or even a village sign. Only cars have altered since the 1950s. The present Assheton, Ralph, runs a woodchip business, so presumably is interested in growing trees.

Carbin Counting

Why don’t we offer these as carbon counting havens? This would be a whole lot more ethical use of carbon markets than grabbing land in Africa (more from Action Aid). We hear lots of famous people campaigning to save the Rainforests. Yet replacing the temperate forests doesnt get a mention. Yet here in this country it is much more in our control. But we, in England, do not seem to want to take on the vested interests of land ownership where a few hundred families still own a majority of the land. Whereas the Scottish Affairs Committee has launched a consultation on land ownership.

Forests on these hills need not be green slums of conifers, but could provide a lot in the way of nuts, which are also good for us. EU CAP funds give already wealthy land owners vast sums of money for just 'looking after the land'. It means that the Duke of Westminster with hundreds of hectares of land round the Trough of Bowland, (scene 13) just north of here, received £6 million in subsidies over a 10 year period for producing what? For more see BBC Panorama The Money Farmers ).

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