A chara, - The letter from Prof Mary C. King (October 14th) displays very little understanding of developments in modern Irish forestry practice and policy over the past two decades. Prof King ignores the progress made in recent years by the forest sector in promoting a positive environmental approach to the management of conifers. Her letter also shows little appreciation of the importance of conifers in creating wealth and employment in rural Ireland, not least in Wicklow.
Prof King's comments about "polluting conifers" and conifers being "impossible for . . . wildlife" are not supported by research findings. Coniferous forests play an important role in reducing the level of greenhouse gases by absorbing carbon dioxide. Research by Nabuurs and Mohern (1993) indicated that "a Norway spruce forest stores a higher long-term average of carbon in trees than mixed deciduous forests."
Recent research by scientists in the department of zoology at UCC found that the diversity of bird species in Irish plantation forests was high and comparable to levels that have been recorded in deciduous woodlands. In fact, their trials found that the greater number of bird species was apparently associated with two coniferous species, Norway Spruce and Douglas Fir.
In a New Scientist article of September 1994, research by Foggo and Ozanne, University of Plymouth, showed that even an aged conifer plantation could contain 18 times as much insect life as the same area of broad-leaved woodland.
The development by the Forest Service of a national forest strategy, the 1989 establishment of Coillte and the rapid growth of farmer-dominated private planting has brought about positive changes of attitude and approach in regard to the environmental aspects of forestry. The planting guidelines introduced by the Forest Service require that all projects must now contain a minimum of 10 per cent broadleafs in addition to at least 20 per cent diverse species. In addition a stated broadleaf planting target of 20 per cent per annum (which was surpassed in 1997) hardly represents a policy of "invasive destruction of native deciduous species and dependent flora and fauna".
Coniferous forestry as an enterprise must be encouraged. Far from being "destructive ugly weeds", as alleged by Prof King, conifers are an important and valuable land use alternative for many soil types in rural Ireland. Forests occupy only 18 per cent of the Irish land area, the lowest in Europe. Coniferous forest have a role to play in helping to prevent the depredation of farmers at a time when they are desperately seeking new approaches to supplementing their income. Farmers are now undertaking 80 per cent of all private forestry.
A comparative field study by Kearney and O'Connor conducted on behalf of the ESRI in 1992 on the Aughrim district of Co Wicklow concluded that forestry in the Wicklow area was a very important element in maintaining household income levels and the fabric of the local community. By contrast, the absence of forestry in a similar district studied in the west of Ireland had resulted in low incomes and the collapse of its population and social structure over the years. The ESRI report highlighted the role that forestry could have in helping to retain some of those leaving agriculture and in reducing under-employment on farms, thereby assisting in stabilising the population and raising income levels.
I am strongly of the view that well-managed forests make good economic sense and are compatible with the environment. - Yours, etc.
Charles Colthurst,
Chairman,
Irish Timber Growers Association,
Merrion Square,
Dublin 2.