Sir, – Linda Lennon is incorrect on a number of points she expressed about forestry in Ireland (“New woodland habitats and the protection of birds”, Letters, October 24th). Commercial forests are no longer established on peat. Forests are now carefully planned to form buffer zones along water courses and other boundaries. The Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed to the Society of Irish Foresters that it “fully recognises that properly sited and managed forests can make a large contribution to better environmental outcomes, including improved water quality”. Neither does she differentiate between forestry and agriculture in her overall assessment of bird population decline.
The interaction between bird life and forests is complex. Forests and woodlands provide ideal habitats for a number of bird species, including some that faced extinction.
Many changes have been made in forest planning to encourage bird populations.
For example, no planting takes place on six special protection areas (SPAs), covering a total land area of 167,100 hectares, which are classified as necessary to protect the hen harrier.
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The reintroduction programmes for several birds of prey, such as the red kite, the white-tailed eagle and the golden eagle, have been greatly facilitated by the expansion of the forest estate which has provided nesting sites, food and places of refuge. Irish forests are home to a wide range of birds, including nationally important populations of rare and declining species. Ireland’s forests contribute greatly to increased populations of the great spotted woodpecker and buzzard, in addition to forest specialists such as the crossbill and siskin.
In his article, John FitzGerald argued for a balanced forestry programme which would allow forests to play a major role in helping Ireland to achieve net zero as outlined in the Climate Action Plan through carbon sequestration and supplying wood to substitute for fossil-based materials in construction (“Clumsy EU law hampering our ability to plant forests”, Business, Opinion, October 14th). His call for “practical EU laws that encourage, not hinder, new planting” deserves support if Ireland is serious about achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. – Yours, etc,
PAT O’SULLIVAN,
Technical Director,
Society of Irish Foresters,
Glenealy,
Co Wicklow.