Madam, – As National Tree Week comes to an end, I would like to put the case for restructuring Irish forestry to create a more diverse and richer landscape fulfilling many social, economic and environmental needs in a balanced and sustainable way.
There is space and appropriate land for three times the current tree cover in this country – a point stressed recently by both Donal Magner (Farmers Journal, January 31st) and Ian Wright (Irish National Forestry Foundation). Though they may have different ideas about what form of tree cover is best, there is surely space to wide range including exotic conifers, native broadleaves, mixed woodlands, agro-forestry systems, etc. The important thing is that all forestry is managed in a sustainable manner.
For too long Irish forestry has been unsustainable, focusing only on monoculture plantations of exotic conifers for the benefit of the construction industry with little or no regard for social and environmental values. Now that construction is in sharp decline, the demand for softwoods is falling and there is a great opportunity to develop woodlands that produce valuable hardwood timber (reducing expensive imports) whilst, at the same time, creating areas of rich biodiversity and high amenity value.
Some of our native trees, such as alder, birch, hazel and ash, are quite fast-growing and are ideal for coppice management. This means that, when cut down, they will produce plenty of fast new shoots that can be harvested for a wide variety of uses after just a few years. This type of management is ideal for farmers who want to make better use of rough ground, field corners, and shelter-belts and can provide an on-going source of firewood as well as good pieces of timber for furniture making, tool handles, etc.
Another proposal that CELT strongly supports is agro-forestry – growing trees among food crops and grazing areas. This gives added value to any bit of land and the trees provide shelter and nutrients (via their deep roots) that improve the soil. Native trees and fruit and nut species are ideal. Agro- forestry can also be used to create valuable buffer zones along water courses. – Yours, etc,