Dear Sir,

Disappointingly, your quotes from Mairi Gougeon (Scottish Farmer, September 30) demonstrate that the Cabinet Secretary has sold out to the forestry lobby. She can no longer be designated as “Secretary for Rural Affairs” but “Secretary for Forestry Affairs”.

Ms Gougeon and her coterie seem completely oblivious to the irretrievable long-term disaster that they are creating for Scottish rural life, environment, farming, food security, wildlife, and tourism with their apparently unconditional belief in forestry and, presumably, re-wilding. They appear to be completely oblivious to any viewpoints that do not correspond with their own. The view backward from twenty or thirty years hence will show how misguided they have been but by then it will be too late.

I note that she tells us that the various interests are shortly coming together at a “forestry summit”. What a closed shop that will be with no danger of contrary views being expressed there.

Given her obvious bias, the Cabinet Secretary should stand down or a separate Cabinet Secretary specifically for Agriculture should be appointed.

Yours faithfully, John Thomson, Eaglesfield.