Letter: Tory destruction of woodlands

Sir: During the last general election John Major promised that "there is no intention to privatise the Forestry Commission". But 892 of our public woodlands, comprising 109,837 acres, have been privatised in the past five years with massive loss of public access and total loss of freedom to roam.

Conservationists have opposed the sell-off. The World Wide Fund for Nature has said that our most valuable woodlands are not safe in private hands and that the Government has failed for years to close loopholes that allow woodland destruction to continue.

The only way to stop this most harmful sell-off is to get rid of the Tory government.

PHILIP GREIG

Swindon,

Wiltshire