Confidence in forestry ‘record low’

CONFIDENCE in forestry is at an all-time low, according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), which claimed there is a clear lack of vision in the sector at present.

IFA farm forestry chairman Pat Hennessy said there is a real fear that if the decline in the afforestation programme is not addressed immediately the infrastructure that sustained the vibrant private forestry sector of the 1990s will disintegrate.

“At a time when this country spends more than €20 million per day on imported fossil fuels, the afforestation programme is expected to be less than 5,000 hectares in 2008, the lowest rate in 20 years,” he said.

Mr Hennessy said the afforestation programme has been falling year on year. It is time the Government demonstrated its commitment to private forestry and recognised the positive contribution forests make to society.

“It is baffling given that the new climate change campaign states the trend must be towards increased afforestation and the energy white paper’s commitment to increase the use of renewables that the Government has allowed the afforestation programme to decline to such an extent,” he said.

Mr Hennessy said Ireland has the best climatic conditions for growing trees in Europe and a large market for timber and forest products at home and in Britain.

Mr Hennessy said one way of increasing the rate of afforestation is to open up the 500,000 hectares which are classified as acid-sensitive areas.