HANDS Off Our Forest campaigners believe forestry experts had their eyes opened during 24 hours in the Dean.

The panel appointed by the Government to investigate England's forestry unanimously decided to visit here before anywhere else, because of the strength of the uproar against Government proposals to take our Forest out of public ownership.

The panel's secretariat banned the media from attending an introductory workshop on Sunday at the Speech House with 70 Forest stakeholders.

But members of the HOOF steering group reported that aside from two individuals pushing for the Dean to be owned by a community charity trust – Conservative ex-councillor Alastair Fraser and forestry consultant David Taylor – everyone else appeared to be relaying the HOOF demands, to keep our Forest publicly owned and managed by the Forestry Commission.

On Monday, the panel met four students from Lakers' School, saw-mill workers, commoners, freeminers, historians at New Fancy View and villagers at The Pludds. They then had lunch with regional advisers at the Speech House.

HOOF Secretary Ian Standing said: "The panel members came here with fresh eyes and minds, and from the questions they asked it was clear that they were deeply interested in what they saw and heard.

"Towards the end of the tour, I asked one member for his feelings on what he had seen. He replied that his eyes had been opened by the depth of connection of the community with their forest. He had seen it overseas but it was a complete surprise to find here in England."

HOOF chairman Rich Daniels added: "I believe that the panel should be in no doubt that the majority of Foresters want nothing at all to do with sale or transfer of our Forest out of public ownership and that, whilst not perfect, the Forestry Commission are doing a good job managing a complex recreational and working Forest."

Panel chairman the Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones told villagers at The Pludds: "It wasn't difficult for us to choose the Forest of Dean first to come to. You are legendary, not just in your own community, but in the nation."

He said the panel was genuinely independent, adding: "I know some people think we are just stooges of the Government but honestly, we are all very busy people and we wouldn't waste our time at being stooges to anyone."

Bishop James told The Forester: "It's one thing for the panel to sit down with all the papers and reports, it's quite another thing to look people in the eye and to hear their story and to learn how integral their lives are with the landscape.

"We've listened to a range of interests and it's clear to us that people believe the Forest is important to their wellbeing. What we have to do now is listen to everybody and then go away and digest all these messages."