Sir, – I write in support of Paul Wilson (Letters, April 26th), who calls for an "amnesty" or blanket approval for all felling licences. While many of our privately owned forests are constrained by economies of scale, all of them require thinning, in order to enhance their value. If these thinnings are delayed, it will destabilise the entire crop, leaving it vulnerable to wind-throw.
For smaller woodlands, the only thinning option for most is firewood production. This helps to reduce fossil fuel use significantly. Many of us who depend on firewood for domestic heating have been waiting since 2020 for felling licences to issue. As all firewood needs at least one year to dry, it is a matter of great urgency that the Department of Agriculture issues thinning licences, even if it means granting an “amnesty” for all existing applications. This would help to ensure that firewood could be seasoned, to some extent, before the winter sets in. – Yours, etc,
PHILIP COMER,
Milltown,
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Co Galway.
A chara, – Paul Wilson in his letter on “Commercial forestry and licensing” makes one of the first sensible suggestions in order to solve the current forestry licensing backlog.
Your readers might be interested to know that the backlog not only involves felling licences but also licences to build forest roads, to manage and to even plant new forests.
His suggestion, however, that all new licences be predicated on a condition of mandatory continuous forestry cover (CFC) is not sustainable. CCF works only on free-draining sites and is unsuitable for wetter sites, on which most forests are planted.
Factors such as elevation, species and threats from deer must be factored in.
The ongoing turmoil in which the Forest Service has found itself has its origins, I believe, in a senior inspectorate of academic foresters with scant practical experience.
The relentless diktats emanating from Agriculture House by way of circulars are more suited to managing a forest industry modelled on tree management in Herbert Park in Dublin. It is clear that those in charge have little understanding of how the industry works.
A one-size-fits-all policy is the order of the day, and even district Forest Service inspectors are terrified to exercise discretion.
I wonder if there has not been a possible deliberate subversion of conifer afforestation in favour of questionable broadleaf afforestation, and other foresters have voiced the same concern, and this should be investigated.
In order to stop the annihilation of our industry, Minister Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Pippa Hackett must immediately disband the Forest Service Inspectorate, and reconstitute the organisation with pragmatic and experienced foresters working within a strong environmental framework.
For too long the planting of trees has been viewed as either industrial or amenity; a holistic approach to forestry must be taken by all in the industry, and society will reap the financial and amenity benefits that forestry can supply. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD ROMER,
Kilmaley,
Co Clare.