ANOTHER battle appears to be looming over the future of Forest woodlands with a public meeting to discuss fears over the future of woodlands in the Flaxley Valley.

Phil Horsley, chair of Friends of Chestnuts Woods says: "We are concerned about the future of the woods around Flaxley Valley as not all the woods are within the statutory boundary of the Forest of Dean.

"We hope this meeting will provide up to the minute information as to the current situation as well as the background history to previous attempts to privatise public forests."

Mary Newton told the Review that while Chestnut Woods and Edge Hills Wood are within the statutory boundary, Flaxley Wood, including Mugglewort Wood and Welshbury are not.

She said: "Welshbury is particularly important because of the small leaved limes with 'boules' or stem growths more than 40 feet across. There is also the site of an ancient monument, believed to be Anglo Saxon."

Speaker at the public meeting will be Alan Robertson from the Hands Off Our Forest campaign group who successfully lobbied for the removal of the sections to public forest in the Public Bodies Bill.

He says: "It was a great victory for all concerned. We won the first battle but we have not won the war and we need people to realise that the threat of privatisation of public woodlands has not gone away. It has only been suspended while and independent panel review the future of public forestry and the Forestry Commission."

The public meeting will start at 7pm next Tuesday (April 12) at Flaxley School Room. For more information telephone Mary Newton on 01594 822079.