FEARS for the future of the internationally renowned Westonbirt Arboretum grew this week when it emerged that it has not been classed as a heritage forest.

The consultation paper put out by the government as it prepares to sell off thousands of acres of Forestry Commission woodland, categorises the site as multi-purpose.

However regular users believe its contribution to education and its status as the home of the national Japanese Maple collection have been ignored.

The consultation divides the 250,000 hectares managed by the Forestry Commission into four groups – large commercial forests, small commercial valuable woodland, multi-purpose forests and heritage and community forests.

It describes multi-purpose woodlands as combining timber production with "significant recreational facilities, high visitor numbers and high levels of biodiversity."

Heritage forests are regarded as "crown jewels" providing high public benefits often associated with their particular landscape and biodiversity, character, high levels of recreational access and active community involvement."

It lists the Forest of Dean and the New Forest as examples.

Tree warden Bruce Oliver, who has studied the consultation paper closely, believes Westonbirt does not fit any of the categories neatly and should be treated separately.

"It is well able to sustain itself like Kew or Eden and the Forestry Commission won't have to scratch their heads trying to force fit this anomaly into the rest of their estate," he said.

In a letter to Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton Brown Mr Oliver a former director of Xerox, also voices concern that Westonbirt’s contribution to education has been overlooked.

"If these activities are not included in the guiding principles there is every danger that they will be scrapped by any new owner. This would have a profound effect on the local community particularly those families with young children," he said. "By way of evidence more than 10,0000 primary school children visit Westonbirt every year to take part in an educational activity, quite apart from young families participating."

The Friends of Westonbirt boasts 27,000 members and the collection of exotic trees draws visitors from all over the country.

Caroline Moore from Sherston regularly walks her dog there and has taken advantage of Westonbirt’s courses in the past.

She felt the landmark woodland could have been categorised as heritage based on the fact alone that it is the national plantation for Japanese Maple.

"I know that there is a lot of concern. It is something everybody has to look into.

"It is used an awful lot, certainly by the residents of Sherston. Even on the grimmest of days there are still lots of walkers who go there."

She added: "It would be terrible if it changed for the worse, because it is such an asset."

The consultation can be seen online at forestry.gov.uk and runs for three months.