Thousands sign petition to save the landscape of Cannop Ponds in the Forest of Dean

Two lakes at a beauty spot in the Forest of Dean could be drained and the landscape returned to how it was before the industrial revolution.

The idea has sparked a storm of protest with more than seven thousand signatures on a petition against the plan.

The Forestry Commission says that the dams at Cannop Ponds need to be replaced or removed - because they may not prevent flooding in the future due to climate change.

Called the Upper and Lower Ponds, they are kept in place by two dams, which were constructed almost 200 years ago, to maintain a  water supply for what was then a heavily industrialised area. 

But recent inspections have, say the Forestry Commission,  identified 'significant engineering issues' with the structures.  

Kevin Stannard, from the Forestry Commision says: "Actually there’s two things we have to do. One is either to completely re-engineer the Dam so that they meet modern requirements, or take them out entirely so we've got two very different options here.  

"We haven’t made a decision. We are undertaking professional stakeholder consultation this summer and that will explore the options in more detail and come to a conclusion as to what is feasible."

But Mark Lewis from the Yorkley angling club says draining the lakes will alter an ecosystem that's developed over two hundred years.

"These are two amazing ecosystems with loads of wildlife," Mr Lewis says.

"There’s about 1000 species alone on this one site, it’s a haven for all sorts of unusual things, even glowworms."

Petition organiser, Shaun Bick, added  "If the dams do need replacing, I don’t disagree with that, however we feel that they need to be replaced instead of the site being taken away and destroyed.

The forestry commission has set out its reasons for the proposals here.