808th Anniversary of the Charter of the Forest

November 7th is the 808th anniversary of the Charter of the Forest. Created in 1217 as a companion document to the Magna Carta, the Charter of the Forest asserted the rights of freemen to access the Kings Forests. Many of its provisions were in force centuries later.

In 2017 the Woodland Trust in Britain launched the Tree Charter. Built on input from thousands of people, it set out guiding principles for dealing with forest lands and resources.

I think a community forest charter is something we could use today. Find common ground that preserves essential forest lands while also recognizing that forests provide necessary wood resources and jobs.

David Reay
(tree lover and former sawmill worker)