Donal Hickey: Strong voices on our environmental problems

'Roadside hedges have been crudely cut down in many parts of the country.'

'Farmers panic after being told by the department that the area of their land on which payments are claimed is to be reduced because of the overgrowth of bushes and briars.'

A RECENT column suggesting chances of radical action to tackle the country’s environment problems had improved, because the Green Party is a partner in the coalition government, brought feedback from a number of readers.

The reaction has not been very positive, however. In fact, people who contacted us point to the ongoing destruction of land which should be protected and, basically, left alone. Others point to glaringly obvious destruction of roadside hedges, which have been crudely cut down in many parts of the country and mainly by local authorities, thereby removing habitat of nesting birds and other wildlife.