THE NUMBER of boar on Forestry Commission land increased by more than half last year.
The estimated rise from 1,018 to 1,562 – an increase of 55 per cent – came despite a “record” cull of 522 animals.,
This year’s cull began on September 1 and 712 boar would need to be killed to stop the upward trajectory of the population – although the Commission’s deputy surveyor, Kevin Stannard, told councillors no target would be set.
“522 is the highest number we’ve culled but the response of the population was to go up quite substantially.”
The figure of 1,562 is based on a survey using body heat to give an estimate of the number on Forestry Commission land. The Commission has a target population of 400 boar.
There were discussions about whether the estimates from this year and last year were correct, he told the Forest Council’s scrutiny and overview committee.
He said there were also “big questions” around the modelling used by scientists to estimate changes to the size of the boar population – but he rejected as “complete and utter nonsense” claims by campaigners that boar reproduction increased because of the cull.
“To argue in the Forest of Dean – where we don’t have an enclosed boar population and it is not limited by food resources – that to stop culling is magically going to stop the population increase is wrong. That is simply not going to happen.
“It has been put to me that it should be tried for three or four years but then where will be?
“It’s nonsense that culling is artificially increasing the population in the Forest of Dean.”
Mr Stannard said they were not going to set a target number for the cull this year, but he hoped that more animals would be killed this year as there are two more rangers involved.
Cllr Richard Leppington (UKIP, Bream) said not having a target sent out the message that the Forestry Commission had “raised the white flag” on the issue.
Mr Stannard responded: “The population is going up ex-
ponentially. We haven’t put up the white flag.
“We have gone up to six guns this year so we are spending a huge amount of money.
“With six guns, hopefully we will be well in excess of the 522 we achieved last year.
“We are not setting the 712 as a target but it remains what the researchers recommend to stop the upward trajectory.”
Cllr Di Martin (Lab, Cinderford East) said she had received complaints from constituents about boar digging in gardens.
Mr Stannard said the Commission had no responsibility to manage boar outside its land but he said the animals were being attracted into towns because people were feeding them and that had to stop.
He also revealed that he personally thought the boar were good for nature.
But he added: “My personal view is that the boar are good for nature but you can have too much of a good thing.
“I think numbers need to come down so we can get into an ecological balance again.”
•A Clement’s End resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, has set up a petition on the Parliament website calling for tighter control of the boar.
She said that feeding boar should be made illegal and culling in the deep Forest should be stopped as it is thought to drive the animals into surrounding areas.