I refer to Simon Duncan’s letter in your October issue (Forestry Journal 338) and would like to thank him for his interest in this matter.

Since the publication of my original letter (‘A decade of discord’, Forestry Journal 337), he may be interested to learn that I have written to the FISA chairman and also to the chief executive on two separate matters. Both letters have been ignored.

READ MORE: FCA publishes open letter to ask what FISA has given the forestry industry

As Mr Duncan has noted, the lack of response to these very serious allegations should not fill anyone with confidence in any of FISA’s board of directors. It is now quite clear that the strategy is to ignore all challenges and hope they will go away. This is straight from the Forestry and Land Scotland playbook and there is no doubting that responsibility for this lies with FISA chairman Simon Hodgson, who also happens to be the chief executive at FLS.

Forestry Journal: Simon HodgsonSimon Hodgson

Further questions will certainly follow. How did FISA manage to make a loss of £28,000 in its last financial year? Why did FISA feel it appropriate to pay £120,000 to a part-time consultant during the same period?

READ MORE: Forestry Journal Letters: Readers respond to FCA's open statement

Surely a FISA member shouldn’t have to engage lawyers to secure the openness and accountability that we should expect from the organisation, which enjoys significant support from the British taxpayer.

All we have to do is keep asking the questions. I would encourage everyone else to do the same.

Yours etc,
Donald Maclean
FCA chairman