AS you correctly say in your editorial, it's not that simple, is it? But it would be useful if some of your correspondents would stop trying to make  political points and applied their reason to what is actually likely to happen to the Forest of Dean in the near future.

First, we need to accept that neither this nor any likely government is going to continue the status quo where the Forest remains in state ownership, and the government picks up the bills. Those days are, I think, over.

Second, we would be ill-advised to think that amendments to the Public Bodies Bill insofar as it affects state forests, can or will be achieved.

Third, and I for one am perfectly willing to accept the word of our Member of Parliament, Mark Harper, the Dean will not be sold in the open market to a private buyer. The Dean, lovely though it may be, is not an attractive commercial proposition for a forestry investor anyway. It has far too many liabilities and not enough commercial forest content. And no-one is disputing that the Dean, like the New Forest in Hampshire, has a special status which calls for special treatment.

So what is likely to happen? We need some positive new thinking which, so far, has been sadly lacking in the whole debate. We, as a community, should now be getting together a proposition to take to Defra after the due processes have run their course. We should be researching setting up a company limited by guarantee, with a well thought out constitution, ownership and an expert Board of Directors which can negotiate to take the Dean into local ownership, control and management. The woods can be operated under FSC Certification, and can develop a sound sustainable budget, something that for all the expertise and experience of the Forestry Commission, isn't happening now. Ask yourselves, what has central Government ever run successfully? Coal? Steel? Railways? Defence procurement? Why forests?

At the same time, we should be looking at the latest thinking on carbon credits, with the aim of forming one or many alliances with private industry whereby the credits delivered by the forest can be converted into cash to pay for the running of the forest.

Finally, we should now be harnessing the obvious enthusiasm and goodwill of your readers to involve the local community in a much more direct way in the management of the forest to replanting schemes, and, most important, helping to monitor tree health in the face of a number of potent bio-threats.

Instead of harassing Mark Harper who, so far, has adopted an admirably open mind on the whole subject, should we not now be trying to enlist his help and support to start to get organised in time for the changes which undoubtedly lie ahead? In my considered view, the Government will be likely to dispose of the Forest for a nominal sum, if not as a totally public-spirited act, but just as much to be rid of a considerable future liability. We must be prepared for that eventuality. This is a golden opportunity for all Foresters to safeguard our Forest of Dean in perpetuity; don't let's waste it.

– David W G Taylor, BSc FICFor.