I have been working with Animal Aid and Viva! to help the boar in the Forest of Dean for some years. As part of this process, I have recently met with Kevin Stannard, Deputy Surveyor of the Forest. I have, as a consequence, some very serious concerns for our wildlife.

Mr Stannard is talking about a cull of 400 boar this year – a far bigger number than any in previous culls. He told me the last thermal imaging programme counted 535 boar but I think this may include counting many of the same boar several times.

We had a serious disagreement on figures. He says there are 800 – 900 boar in the Dean while I think there are about 200. I base this figure on the fact that for two years the Forestry Commission has had problems fulfilling its killing quota.

This year the quota is 135 and so far they have shot 121 boar, but this includes road kill and diseased animals. – 800 to 900 cannot be a serious figure.

Mr Stannard believes he has a mandate for his cull from the various meetings he has held with parish and district councillors. He works on an ideal figure of 400 but the district council has not yet repealed its earlier figure of 90.

I am not sure how he would react to a negative vote in the Forest of Dean Council meeting at the end of February.

I have the feeling that the Forestry Commission is acting like a dictatorship within a democracy. I find this attitude extremely arrogant.

The rangers do target females and hoglets, as they are the future breeding stock. They may not target hoglets per se, but if they kill a mother, the hoglets go too.

Mr Stannard will not admit to pressure from the Forestry Commission – shooting and tree clearance ­– as a factor in causing the boar to come into settlements. I am sure it is a factor.

I am sure a referendum of Forest dwellers would deliver a verdict for the boar, but who would organise this? If it was held, would the Forestry Commission take any notice?

I feel there is a group of ardent boar haters in the Forest and that they are very extreme in their views. I have met some of them. Boar live in other areas in the UK quite peacefully with people.

I do sympathise with those whose gardens and fences have been invaded by boar but surely the answer to this is a compensation scheme run by the Forestry Commission or the local council. It would not cost as much as employing extra rangers to shoot boar.

I do not think the boar deserve this hatred. They are the best parents in the Forest and have never hurt a human being.

Uncontrolled dogs are a problem but this is a question of owner control. Personally, I think a cull of 400 will not work and the rangers will find difficulty at 200. But in shooting 200, they may destroy the herd and decrease the diversity of the Forest.

Maybe I will have to eat my words, but I do not think so. I hope reason prevails rather than bloodlust in this beautiful forest.

– Joyce Moss, Lydney.