HUNDREDS of people gathered at the launch of a campaign to save a huge swathe of ancient Gwent woodland last night.

The Woodland Trust is spearheading a bid to raise cash to save 900 acres of Wentwood Forest - Wales' largest ancient woodland.

The trust has already pledged £500,000 from its own coffers towards the cause, and now it says it needs the public to raise another £100,000 to enable it to bid for grants to secure the land.

Norman Starks, the trust's woodland operations director, warned: "If we don't act quickly it will be too late."

The privately owned land, valued at £1.3 million, is currently managed by commercial operators, and is up for sale.

Last night more than 200 people packed into Caerwent's tiny village hall to hear officers outline their campaign to save a "national treasure". They heard fears that the woodland, which stretches across the borough of Newport and Monmouthshire, could face more intensive felling by new owners, or be sold off in small parcels and cleared.

Mr Starks said: "We want to make a difference, we want to hand something on to future generations but we desperately need your help." He said only 2 per cent of Britain's ancient woodland remained - most had been cleared completely or replaced by conifers for commercial hardwoods.

Conifers block out the light, and eradicate the huge variety of flowers and plants once abundant in ancient broadleaf woodland.

The trust wants to gradually reverse this trend by introducing broadleaf trees and in turn influencing how the rest of Wentwood Forest is managed "for the benefit of the wildlife and people, and to safeguard it for future generations," said Mr Starks.

He added that he feared the current crop of conifers is mature and would probably be felled and replaced by another rotation of conifers. Monmouth's MP, David Davies, also voiced concerns about the woodland being bought and resold in small parcels.

"It could be cleared and caravans or storage trailers put there, as it has in woodland around other parts of Monmouthshire," he said.

Roger Van, 62, from Carrow, near Penhow, read about the meeting in the Argus.

He said: "I will most certainly make a pledge. It was a shock to hear how part of our heritage could be sold."

See www.savewentwoodforest.org.uk