The state currently owns 18% of forests and woodland in England Several public figures, including the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dame Judi Dench, have urged the government not to sell off England's forests.
Nearly 90 of them signed a Save England's Forests campaign letter claiming that such a sale would be "misjudged and short-sighted".
The letter said a bill being debated by MPs would allow the sale of the entire public forest estate.
Last year the government said it was consulting on "new ownership options".
A public consultation begins later this week and a bill to enable the sale is due to go before the House of Lords.
The state currently owns 18% of forests and woodland in England; however, spending cuts could result in parts being sold off or given away.
The letter claimed that that such a sale would be "misjudged and short-sighted".
The famous names who signed the letter include singer Annie Lennox, artist Tracey Emin, model Lily Cole, former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, actor Richard E Grant and designer Dame Vivienne Westwood.
Consultation plea
The letter stated: "We are an island nation yet more people escape to the forest than to the seaside.
"Our forests nurture countless species of native plants and wildlife. We have relied on them since time immemorial yet we are only a heartbeat in their history."
And it went on: "We, the undersigned, believe it unconscionable that future generations will no longer enjoy the guarantee of a public forest estate."
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams is among the famous figures who signed the letter The famous figures urged the government to suspend any significant sales "until the public has been fully consulted", adding that they expect leaders to "engage in real dialogue with communities throughout the country to create a sustainable future for our public woods and forests".
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has insisted there are no plans to sell nature reserves, adding that community groups and charities would play a greater role in protecting important habitats.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has assured the public that access rights would not be lost if parts of woodland were sold.
In a message on its website, it said: "We urge anyone with an interest in this issue to wait for the consultation to be published and see our plans in full."
Sue Holden of the Woodland Trust recently argued that public/private ownership was not the key issue because some private owners would be sympathetic.
"We want to see enhanced protection for all woods before selling off starts and some of the capital made from sales of these forests returned for public good," she said.
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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-12261103
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