I SHARE with dismay, already expressed by many of your readers, at the Government's plans to sell woodlands and forests to private owners. However, I am concerned that many of the objections dwell on the prospect of woodland being replaced with unwanted development, such as golf courses and holiday villages. While this is a point well made, it is not what the Government is proposing. My worry is that if this is the main focus of the campaign, our protest will be dismissed as an irrelevance.?It seems the Government's primary concern is to relinquish responsibility for the day-to-day management of woodland. With greater financial pressure on governing institutions, than when similar proposals were made in the 1990s, the arguments against will need to be convincing.

The Forestry Commission's management of our woodlands delivers significant public benefit. Such benefit would not be guaranteed under private ownership. To take just one example, the magnificent Douglas Firs around Soudley Ponds are past their optimum age as a timber product. However, they have been retained for their amenity value. While such a policy is unlikely to profit a private owner, it is of benefit to the wider community. Aesthetic considerations such as these enhance the Forest's appeal as a tourist destination which, in turn, benefits the local economy.

The Forestry Commission also plays an invaluable role in supporting biodiversity in the Forest of Dean. An example of this is its continuing work in heathland restoration. England is home to 18 per cent of the world's remaining heathland. Consequently, the conservation of this habitat is of international as well as local significance. The felling of many conifers planted 60-70 years ago, has given opportunity to leave some felled areas as open ground. This has been done at Edgehills, north-east of Cinderford, to allow the expansion of an existing area of heathland. Would there be any guarantee that private purchasers of woodlands would continue this good practice, ie in conserving wildlife habitats and the species they support?

Finally, we are told the Government's plans 'will be consulted on.' This smacks of a fait accompli. We, the constituents, are encouraged to 'send in our views' – to whom? We would rather not wait until the consultation begins. Has no-one the courage to hear us say, 'We already have a Big Forest, we don't want it made the stuff of dreams?'

– Pauline Harris, Haw­thorn Court, Lydney.