A number of respondents who supported the scenario made additional qualifications and comments including:

• there is a need to take account of the major regional differences within Wales;
• expansion in woodland cover should not compromise valuable habitats or landscape character;
• greater emphasis should be placed on Continuous Cover Forestry and other management systems;
• revision of the clear fell policy is needed such that a supply of good quality timber (both soft and hardwood) is continuously available;
• planting and management of woodlands should be based on achieving a high quality timber resource with construction timber in mind (e.g. larch, Douglas fir, oak and sweet chestnut), not just what has been planted previously in Wales;
• both market forces and 'pump-priming' should be used to encourage new wood processing plants to locate in Wales;
• there should be collaboration between SMEs which can offer enormous potential in the development of new products and markets (Welsh Timber Forum);
• greater integration is required between agricultural and forestry policies.

Those respondents that favoured a combination of scenarios were often not specific about their choice. For example:

"Given the diverse nature of the Welsh landscape, it would be naïve to expect one approach to suit all circumstances. What may be appropriate in the South Wales Valleys for instance may not be appropriate here in the Vale of Glamorgan or elsewhere in Wales. All four scenarios have good features, and it would appear to make more sense to adopt the right approach for the right place rather than compromising on a "one size fits all" solution." (The Vale of Glamorgan Council).

Powys County Council put forward an "Integrated Environmental Scenario" in which:

• woodlands are seen as a truly integrated resource that deliver environmental benefits and timber;
• timber is predominantly hardwood species suited to the climate and geographical characteristics of Wales;
• timber production benefits the rural economy and meets the needs of a high value market that is currently met by imports.

A further two scenarios were put forward by individual respondents.

An Integrated Scenario

"Market forces could be applied to the existing upland spruce enterprise resulting in the exploitation for many years of the asset built up, keeping existing wood users operational. Future conifer wood supplies reduce in the long term but timber supplies remain cheap and available on world markets. British-based timber users diversify, relocate operations overseas or are absorbed into multinational parent companies.

In the absence of public funding for spruce restocking, (on the basis that this buys no public benefit), some felled areas will regenerate at no cost with informal "spruce birch glade forest" with a heather component of landscape and biodiversity value. Other wooded areas will provide dense regeneration for future timber production. Commercial pressures will result in much greater use of continuous cover systems that could facilitate more reliable woodland regeneration at no public cost. Relief from the cost burden of restocking would enable significant cash flow to be directed towards recreation, nature conservation work and woodland expansion.

While employment in the intensive spruce plantation management would be reduced, there would be considerable employment opportunities in the more complex and labour intensive rural development forestry projects, thinning, hardwood management, wood fuel projects, landscape works and recreation development. The great spruce forests would be recognised as pioneer forest to be regenerated by nature, yielding funds for sustainable rural community development."