Coillte forests belong to the people – let's keep it that way

20 March 2013: The Environmental Pillar is calling on the Government to reverse its plan to sell public forest assets.
Andrew St Ledger, a spokesperson for the Environmental Pillar, said, “This plan makes no sense on economic, social or environmental grounds. There are multiple benefits to be had from extending our woodlands; these include carbon storage, soil preservation, flood control and enhanced human health.”
“The payment of a few months interest on our banking debt could very quickly undo the many years of hard work it has taken to reach even the current low level of tree cover. Instead of selling off our forests, the government should keep them as public assets and invest in a new forestry model that focuses on multi-purpose, continuous cover management and on our native hardwoods,” he continued.
“We want the government to make a clear statement that our public forests will be secured as public assets in perpetuity,” Mr St Ledger said.
 
Notes:
Tomorrow (21st April) is the International Day of Forests.
Continuous cover silviculture woodland management is based upon a presumption against clearfelling, the use of natural regeneration and the creation of a varied forest structure containing a range of species.