What is a consultation?
Consultations are an essential part of the decision making process in forestry.
Before deciding whether to approve forestry activities, we will often consult a range of organisations, including:
- other government departments and agencies
- local authorities
- NGOs
- community councils
- neighbours
- local interest groups
We also make applications available for public comment by means of our public registers.
Stakeholders and communities can offer valuable knowledge and insights that can be of great assistance when formulating forest management or woodland creation proposals.
Moreover, developing a proactive dialogue can help improve decisions, implement forestry proposals more effectively, and lead to a culture of co-operation and support.
Within our Forestry Engagement and Consultation Processes, we describe the different stages of the proposal development and approval process, including when engagement and consultation happens.
We set out:
- the types of forestry activities we consult on
- where you can find more information on a particular project
- how you can provide us with your comments
We also explain our process for resolving complex cases, requesting a review of a decision, complaints and appeals.
Current consultations
View our 'Public registers' for current consultations.