Forestry Act 1967

1 The Forestry Commission.E+W+S

(1)The Forestry Commissioners constituted under the Forestry Acts 1919 to 1945 shall continue in existence and are in this Act referred to as “the Commissioners”.

[F1(1A)In this Act, “the appropriate forestry authority” means—

(a)in relation to England and Scotland, the Commissioners;

(b)in relation to Wales, the Natural Resources Body for Wales.]

(2)The [F2appropriate forestry authority] shall be charged with the general duty of promoting the interests of forestry, the development of afforestation and the production and supply of timber and other forest products [F3in Scotland, [F4in England and in Wales]] and in that behalf shall have the powers and duties conferred or imposed on them by this Act.

[F5(2A) The Commissioners also have the general duty of using land in Scotland placed at their disposal by the Scottish Ministers under this Act in the way best calculated to contribute to the delivery of the targets set in or under Part 1 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (asp 12) (“the climate change targets”). ]

(3)The [F6appropriate forestry authority's] general duty [F7under subsection (2)]includes that of promoting the establishment and maintenance [F3in Scotland, [F8in England and in Wales]] of adequate reserves of growing trees.

[F9(3A)In discharging their functions under the Forestry Acts 1967 to 1979 the [F10appropriate forestry authority] shall, so far as may be consistent with the proper discharge of those functions, endeavour to achieve a reasonable balance between—

(a)the development of afforestation, the management of forests and [F11the production and supply of timber[F11, the production and supply of timber and, in Scotland, the delivery of the climate change targets]], and

(b)the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty and the conservation of flora, fauna and geological or physiographical features of special interest.]

[F12(3B)In subsection (3A) “functions” means—

(a)in relation to the Commissioners, functions F13...;

(b)in relation to the Natural Resources Body for Wales, functions under this Act.]

(4)The Commissioners shall, in exercising their functions under this Act, and also in exercising their powers under the M1Plant Health Act 1967 (which enables them to make orders for the control of timber pests and diseases), comply with such directions as may be given to them by

[F14(a)the Ministers in relation to the exercise of their functions as regards England F15...; and

(b)the Scottish Ministers in relation to the exercise of their functions as regards Scotland.]

F16(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F17(6)The power of the Ministers and of the Scottish Ministers to give directions for the purposes of subsection (4) above shall be exercisable as regards [F18England and Scotland] by the Ministers and the Scottish Ministers acting jointly.]

Textual Amendments

F3Words in s. 1(2)(3) substituted (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1747, art. 3, Sch. 12 Pt. II para. 4(2)

F14S. 1(4)(a)(b) substituted (1.7.1999) for words “the Ministers” by S.I. 1999/1747, art. 3, Sch. 12 Pt. II para. 4(3)

F17S. 1(6) added (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1747, art. 3, Sch. 12 Pt. II para. 4(4)

Marginal Citations