Sir, - Is the Irish tourist industry aware of the damage being done to it by the transformation of historic Irish landscapes into massive plantations of American conifers? It is hard to understand how this can be allowed to happen when one of the foremost attractions in Ireland is the authentic scenery, as best illustrated by the popularity of the national parks.
For example, the authoritative French Michelin Guide to Ireland lists only two destinations in the entire south-west as meriting its highest rating and one of these is the Killarney National Park.
This is hardly surprising since the typical tourist is increasingly a stressed-out city dweller seeking the peace of the natural environment, as far away from man's artificial, monotonous creations as it is possible to get. One may well imagine what such tourists think of the miles and miles of regimented plantations that increasingly darken our landscapes, and which have absolutely nothing to do with Ireland, neither naturally nor historically.
Many years ago I watched with disbelief while Ireland allowed its magnificent fishing resource to be squandered. Must the same thing happen to its tourist resource? - Yours, etc.,
Castlegregory, Co Kerry.