West Gloucestershire Green Party is strongly opposed to any "sell off" of publicly owned woodland in The Forest of Dean.

Just 18 per cent of all the woodland in England is owned by the state, managed on our behalf by the Forestry Commission and therefore open and accessible. Our Lib-Dem/Conservative Coalition Government's intention to privatise half of this woodland in England (Wales and Scotland are excluded from these proposals) is irresponsible.

The Green Party believes the Forestry Commission does, on the whole, a good job managing the Dean and is generally good value to the taxpayer.

We support the campaign to oppose the Government privatisation of The Dean. It is an open National Forest Park with a unique interwoven fabric of social, cultural and environmental assets that gives the area, not only place and identity, but its very special spirit.

To impose these privatisation plans on the Dean will signal that we have a reckless government.

– Phil Saunders.