Doubts have been expressed over the viability of the project - and whether the land needs to be purchased at all, given that the public already enjoys access rights in the area.

BCLC directors sent out ballot papers to every voter on the island this week and have encouraged people to return their votes as soon as possible ahead of the February 11 closing date.

But a former island councillor and a retired Bute forester have spoken out against the proposals - and have asked whether the company's directors really know what they're letting themselves in for.

Bobby Reid, who has worked in farming at the north end of Bute for virtually all his life and represented the landward areas of the island on Argyll and Bute District Council until 1996, questioned how the running costs of the forest would be met if the community supports the buy-out plan.

"This is a growing forest, not a playground, and it will need thinning, ditching and trimming.

"That's an expensive business, and we've had no indication yet as to how the money is going to be raised to deal with it," he told The Buteman.

"I asked that very question at the consultation meeting and I was told they're hoping to get private money in. If no private money comes in, what do we do then? Are they going to give us a guarantee that the public is not going to be asked to pick up the bill, either now or in the future?

"They should have produced answers to the question of how they are going to finance this - and they have not done that. I cannot think any funding body is going to accept an application in which the finances haven't been explained."

Mr Reid also wondered whether planners would give permission for any development of an area of outstanding natural beauty - and whether there was a need for the community to buy the land at all.

"Do we really need to buy this forest when we've already got access rights over the land thanks to the 'right to roam' and the West Island Way?" he asked.

"I don't know what discussions they've had with planning officers and other national organisations who may well say 'you're not going to be allowed to do anything with it'. What happens then?"

For the buy-out to proceed to the next stage, 2,610 people - exactly half of the Bute electoral roll - have to take part, and a simple majority - a total of 1,306 - have to be in favour of the plan.

More than three hundred people attended a consultation event, organised by the BCLC directors, in Rothesay on January 17 - and 311 people signed up as BCLC members on the day.

But Jocky Robertson, who has worked in forestry for much of his life, said the realities of managing 1,700 acres of land might not have occurred to the land company's directors and members.

"It could be flattened in one night by a big gale," Mr Robertson told us, "and it would take years to recover - and who's going to clean it up afterwards if that happens?

"It hasn't been thinned, so the roots of the trees haven't had a chance to spread, which makes them much more vulnerable if there's a big blow."

Mr Robertson also told us he doubted whether the forest could be made to pay its way - and that its day-to-day management could prove more problematic than expected.

"It's not really buying it that's the problem, it's keeping it," he said. "To manage this forest properly is going to take a lot of expertise.

"How are wages going to be paid? It's not as if you can do it with unpaid and untrained volunteers going up there every Sunday. And who's going to do that kind of work on a cold winter's day without getting paid for it?

"They're thinking there's money in timber, but there isn't. There are no fortunes to be made in forestry any more.

"There's a market for wood pulp, but you can buy good quality wood pulp from Sweden and Russia for less than we can produce it.

"Sitka spruce like we have at Rhubodach needs to be treated and dried out before it can be used - log cabins mostly use lodgepole pine, which is a harder wood. Sitka spruce is too quickly grown in Scotland to be a good wood."

BCLC chairman John McGhee told us: "It is good to see people are really getting engaged with the process. I understand the concern around running costs but the legislation says we have to have an early ballot and only after that can we have a feasibility study.

"We need to look at other ways of generating money for things, such as cycle paths for example, that don't pay for themselves.

"There is an enormous market for timber, although the price varies according to the size, maturity and type of wood.

"If it wasn't worth something, the land wouldn't have been put on the market for offers over £1.3 million. And there's also the scope for generating markets on the island.

"As for the land itself, yes, you can walk over it, but anyone who has done so will know it's not easy in a wheelchair or if you're over 60 - and the forest parts of it might be described as rather dull, so couldn't we make it more popular without ruining it?

"People are being asked whether they would like to have something worth about £1.3 million for nothing. I'm trying to understand why you would say no to that, and I have to say I'm not finding it easy. It costs nothing to become a BCLC member in order to have your say.

"I want people to think about it and to question it, because this is a really big thing for Bute."

See also:

Buy-out team 'delighted' at community response - www.buteman.co.uk, 20 Jan 2010
Government backs Bute forest buy-out plan - www.buteman.co.uk, 2 Dec 2009
Bute forest is put on the market - www.buteman.co.uk. 2 Sept 2009
ButeForest.com - the official Bute Community Land Company website

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