THE FOREST of Dean could become like a ‘brutal killing field’ if plans to increase the annual cull of wild boar this year go ahead.

A survey of the wild boar is probably going to show that the numbers of the animals to die will almost double.

Animal Aid member Mrs Joyce Moss met with Forestry England’s deputy surveyor of the Forest of Dean Mr Kevin Stannard back in May and said: “It is alarming to hear that the Forestry Commission (Forestry England) still considers boar to be out of control in the Forest.”

She added: “Kevin Stannard said that he believed the boar population to be about 1,600 and that it would be necessary to increase the cull this winter from about 450 to about 850.

“DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) had allowed him to increase his rangers from six to eight to accomplish this goal.

“This increase is so startling that it will reduce the Forest to a brutal killing field for wildlife.

“In addition to the boar, the Forestry Commission shoot between six hundred to eight hundred deer out of a population of about 1,200.”

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK’S FORESTER