SUBMISSION TO REVIEW OF FOREST POLICY
(1) – National Forest policy – There is an urgent need to complete the drafting of the long promised Forestry Bill.
Meanwhile the Forest Service should play a much strong role in monitoring Coillte’s policy and operations particularly in the Recreational area.
(2) Funding of Forestry Schemes – Private forestry in return for state/EU supports must provide reasonable public access.
(3) Coillte Forests in the Dublin and North Wicklow mountains and other forests near large centres of populations are very heavily used by urban recreational users and our visitors and they should be removed from the ownership and control of Coillte because catering for recreational use of these forests is not compatible with their commercial remit. There are a number of vehicles which could be used to manage these forests as follows:
1 They could be subsumed into the Forest Service;
2 The could be transferred to the NPWS as National Parks;
3 They could be managed by local authorities who have vast experience in managing city and town parks;
4 A special state body could be set-up with the remit to manage the forests as Amenity Woodlands should be promoted.
We submit that in spite of their open forest policy Coillte have not demonstrated their competence in managing these forests for the following reasons:
1 Clear felling produces a world-war one landscape of desolation;
2 Most of their forestry is coniferous – mainly sitka spruce which is extremely boring to walk through with the absence of flora on the forest floor and the lack of sunlight and views;
3 Coillte are re-planting felled areas with the same as before – mostly coniferous;
4 Unless there are built-in safeguards there is always the risk of possible privatisation. Coillte’s “open forest policy” clearly conflicts with their commercial remit;
5 The car-parking arrangements are most unsatisfactory: some are permanently closed while others are open only at week-ends. Closing times are far too early;
6 Coillte’s policiy of maximizing the value of their properties has resulted in the sale of sites in sensitive areas which has resulted in the closing off of traditional access routes.
KEEP IRELAND OPEN
Mar 31 2010.