THE history of the beautiful Flaxley valley is being threatened by indiscriminate tree felling, say conservationists.
Hard on the heels of their battle to win a professional appraisal of the remains in Chestnuts Wood, they say there should be at least a temporary halt to felling in nearby Welshbury and Flaxley woods.
Philip Horsley, chairman of The Friends of Chestnuts Wood, told the Review : "If one was cynical one would think that Forest Enterprise is almost literally trying to hide the possible archaeological value of the site whilst making money from selling off the timber."
The Friends are calling for a halt to the felling to enable an urgent survey to be carried out.
They say that a detailed walk-over survey could easily be carried out as at present the pine needles are literally a carpet lying on top of the historic surface features, emphasising their presence.
"It is vital they should be mapped before any more felling takes place as they become hidden by brash and, if not identified, at risk to damage by heavy extraction vehicles.
"When the fern and bracken spring up it will be virtually impossible to carry out a detailed survey of the site," says the statement.
The Friends say some damage has already been caused to a possible bronze age field boundary system and to charcoal floors by heavy vehicles dragging logs for stacking.
Mr Horsley said: "This is how we lose our heritage. The Flaxley Valley was the home of prehistoric man who farmed, hunted and smelted iron ore in some of the earliest industrial activities of man in this ancient valley.
"To completely understand the past history of the area it is important to be able to study the details of the charcoal floors, smelting areas and other possible surviving remains in relation to the whole complex of sites covering Welshbury, Chestnuts and Flaxley woods and the area around St Anthony's Well."