Momentum building for Scottish-style land access rights in England, says film | Land rights
Anger and momentum is growing over Scottish-style access rights to mountains, meadows, rivers and woodlands in England, where members of the public are allowed on just 8% of the land, a new documentary suggests.
Our LandThe film, whose title refers to Woody Guthrie’s protest song, explores the rise of the right to roam movement in England.
The movement, which started five years ago, uses tactics learned from early 20th-century campaigners who launched a mass break-in at Kinder Scout in the Peak District in 1932, seen as a catalyst for change that signaled a shift in public opinion.
Directed by Orban Wallace, the documentary follows campaigners as they lead members of the public on smaller mass trespasses on private land in England, and interviews landowners from Devon to Scotland.
Wallace said: “I hope this film will be a deep listening exercise for the country and start an informed conversation. No one is having that debate right now, people are on opposing sides.”
Campaigners for the expansion of public rights say momentum has gained in the past two years.
The fight to protect wild camping rights on Dartmoor in Devon has been a catalyst after landowners won a high court ruling giving them the right to evict campers from their 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres) of land on the southern part of the moor. The move sparked outrage and mass protest rallies; legal action led the high court to overturn the decision.
“When Dartmoor happened, it unleashed a vein of energy that had built up in England… It’s impossible to withstand it. It has its own momentum now,” said Nick Hayes, author of The Book of Trespass and rights-to-roam campaigner. “What we need, what we are crying out for, is for these hundreds of thousands of acres of forests, meadows, rivers and wetlands to be made available to the people who desperately need them. Those who have them can continue to have them.”
Campaigners want the government to introduce a Scottish-style access rights law to enable ordinary people to enjoy nature on private land responsibly.
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 created a legal right to responsible access to most lands and inland waters in Scotland for walking, cycling and camping. Similarly, in Sweden and Norway, the right of public access or AllemansrättenIt gives everyone the freedom to wander and discover the beauty of the countryside.
Scottish peer and landowner John Grant is filmed in the documentary wandering around part of his estate, pointing out areas where members of the public can camp, cycle and canoe.
“Everyone has access rights, regardless of age and ability. [the] “You only have rights under the 2003 law if you exercise them responsibly,” he said.
“We found that people really care about the land… We all belong to the land, the land does not belong to us.”
It may be more persuasive for other landed nobles to come forward. Asked if he would like to share the beauty that he and his family can enjoy on private woodland walks on the estate, Francis Fulford, who owns 1,200 hectares of land in Devon, says: “Only those who pay should contribute to the upkeep.
“Think about the cost [a] The landowner must ensure that all his property is safe for the public, most of whom are completely ignorant of rural ways of life.
Some farmers have raised concerns that the public do not understand how the countryside works, with examples including gates being left open, livestock being put at risk and crops being disturbed by people and dogs.
Naturalist and right-to-roam campaigner Nadia Shaikh, who moved to Scotland, said proximity to nature gave people there a sense of belonging and responsibility. “If you’re going to remove humans from the environment for hundreds of years, there’s going to be profound learning to do,” he said. “But if we invest a bit in education it’s not impossible for British people to learn, for example, how to close doors.”
Author, land activist and right to roam campaigner Guy Shrubsole said access to the countryside would depend on people acting responsibly. He said he had no right to roam in more than 92% of the British countryside.
The latest expansion of access was introduced by the last Labor government with the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. Creating a new right to roam law would mean that access would no longer be subject to the arbitrary whims of large landowners, 1% of whom still own 50% of Britain.
The government has stated that it does not support direct adoption of the Scottish model due to differences in land use, population density and land ownership patterns in England. A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman said: “Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride, but too many people across the country have been left without access to the great outdoors.
“We are increasing access to nature and the countryside, creating nine new national river walks, establishing the Coast to Coast route in the north of England and launching the 2,700-mile King Charles III England coast path.”
