The Whinlatter Rally is still going ahead this Saturday. Please join us to celebrate - and keep the pressure on the Government - they haven't abandoned all plans to sell off the forests, only stopped the consultation.

Please come and join the public rally at Whinlatter Forest Centre on Saturday 19 February, at 1pm. Mountain bikers can join an easy or challenging Ride to Save Our Forests from 11am. Mountain biking is one of the activites most threatened by the Government's plans.

Speakers include mountaineer and Friends of the Lake District vice president Chris Bonington, Lord Clark of Windermere and Policy Officer Jack Ellerby from Friends of the Lake District.

Chris Bonington, Friends of the Lake District's Vice President, (left) said: ‘I urge as many people as possible to come to Whinlatter Forest on Saturday 19 February - walkers, mountain bikers, horse riders, climbers, families, and people walking their dogs - just as millions of people do in our public forests every year.

‘The Lake District has some wonderful diverse woodlands, but if we don't stand up now and show how much these wonderful green spaces mean to us we risk losing them forever.'

People will be able to support the online petition by signing a huge Oak Tree, which will be taken to the Government in London, along with the 1000 signatures from the Grizedale Rally last month.

Jack Ellerby of Friends of the Lake District said: ‘The coalition Government wants to sell off our woodlands and right now this means 30-40% of the woodlands in the Lake District National Park could pass into private ownership, with free access for cycling, horseriding, dog walking and picnic areas potentially closed off - what effect will that have on local people's enjoyment and tourists and the revenue they bring to the area?'

‘All this doesn't have to happen. Join our campaign to fight the sell off. You can have your say - please respond to the public consultation, and write to your MP.'

The public consultation is on Defra's website and you can respond to it here:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/forests/index.htm

You have until 21 April to tell the Government what you think.

Friends of the Lake District is a charity dedicated to protecting the landscape of Cumbria and the Lake District. As part of their ‘Stop the Sell Off of Lake District's Woodlands' campaign, so far the charity has:

- Raised the stakes in the public eye with extensive media coverage. Our policy officer Jack Ellerby and vice president Sir Chris Bonington have appeared in the national media talking about the sell off.

- Worked with the www.38degrees.org.uk online campaign to increase opposition at a national level.

- Asked our members and contacts to write to their MPs and Government ministers.

- Worked with the ‘Save Lakeland's Forests' local campaign and talked to lots of different users of the forests like mountain bikers, climbers and ramblers.

- Networked with other areas of the country, like the Forest of Dean.

- Lobbied the Lords to stop Government plans to change the law to allow them to sell off all the public forest land.

- There's so much more to do if we are to change the Government's mind, so please if you care about the future of our forests... Become a Friend of the Lake District, see http://www.fld.org.uk/become-a-friend.html

The rally at Whinlatter Forest near Keswick will be held near to Whinlatter visitor centre at 1pm on Saturday 19 February. Mountain bikers are welcome to take part in a 'Ride to Save Our Forests' from about 11am. Riders have a choice of either the family-friendly 7.5km blue Quercus Trail from the Visitor Centre, or the 19km red grade Altura Trail. The rally will then get underway next to the main car park at 1pm.

Tell others about the rally - Could you display a poster or flyer? (Click to download and print.)

Parking will be limited at Whinlatter - please try to share cars where possible, cycle, or use public transport. Bus: The X4 and X5 buses run from Penrith to Braithwaite (Thornthwaite Road), via Keswick.

Whinlatter Forest Park Visitor Centre, Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5TW.

Save Lakelands Forests campaign, see www.savelakelandsforests.org.uk