Editing Forestry Commission (section)

== Recreation ==
Until the introduction of the [[Countryside Act 1968]], the main purpose of the Forestry Commission was to maximise timber sales.<ref name=countrysideBill /> The act gave the public the right to use much of the forest estate for recreation, this led to the commission providing additional facilities for the public.<ref name=FCHistory /> [[Sylvia Crowe]] was hired as a consultant to identify how to improve the landscape of commission forests for recreation.<ref name=CroweObit>{{cite journal|title=A Tribute to Dame Sylvia Crowe's Landscape Work for British Forestry |journal=Forestry|volume=77|issue=1|year=1998}}</ref> The focus on recreation allowed the Forestry Commission to become the largest provider of outdoor recreation in Britain.<ref name=largestOutdoor>{{cite web|url=http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-76ZL3L|title=The Forestry Commission|publisher=Forestry Commission|access-date=9 June 2012|archive-date=30 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030153556/http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-76zl3l|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The commission works with various associations involved in [[Ramblers|rambling]], [[cycling]] and [[horse riding]] to promote the use of its land for recreation. A notable example is the [[7stanes]] project in southern Scotland, where seven purpose-built areas of man-made mountain bike trails have been laid; the accessible extensions provide recreational facilities for disabled cyclists.<ref name=disabledBikers>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4280277.stm|title=Trails open up to disabled bikers |author=Michael Lloyd|date=19 February 2005|work=BBC News|access-date=14 June 2012}}</ref> During the summer months, it hosts a series of live music concerts across seven forests.<ref name=MusicForest>{{cite web|url=http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-7LPFDN|title=A Brief History of Forestry Commission Live Music|year=2012|publisher=Forestry Commission|access-date=10 June 2012|archive-date=18 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160618123743/http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-7LPFDN|url-status=dead}}</ref>