Madam, - Bob Wilson of CELT (March 7th) attacks the current afforestation policy and programme in a totally inaccurate and irresponsible manner. For a start, the national afforestation programme is entirely driven by the private sector, not Coillte.
We as a private forest nursery are by far the main supplier of trees to this market. To date in this planting season (which began in November), 44 per cent of trees supplied (excluding hawthorn for hedging) have been broadleaf, 37.5 per cent Sitka spruce and the remaining 18.5 per cent is made up of Japanese, hybrid and European larch, Scots pine, Norway spruce, Douglas fir, Lodgepole Pine and small numbers of other species. The bulk of these trees have been grown from home-collected seed.
The ignorant, dismissive tone of the letter published is an insult to the commitment of the large number of people who have devoted their professional lives to the afforestation of Ireland in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner.
At this moment in history the importance of trees for the future well-being of our nation is overwhelmingly obvious. - Yours, etc,
JOHN McCARTHY, None So Hardy (Forestry) Ltd, Shillelagh, Co Wicklow.