Councillors call for amenity walks and recreational areas in Laois forests to be protected

A COUNCILLOR in Laois has called on the Minister for State with responsibility for Forestry to introduce regulations requiring Coillte to engage with local authorities when they are harvesting trees in public forests, recreational and amenity areas.

Independent cllr Tommy Mulligan proposed such a motion at the recent monthly meeting of Laois County Council.

He said: “There seems to be a lot of harvesting of trees taking place in our forests around the county lately. The one’s I’m familiar with where its taking place are in Togher, Stradbally and in The Lost Village in the Slieve Bloom Mountains.

“I understand the commercial side of Coillte and have no problem with that, but I do have an issue where they are harvesting our public amenities. Large areas have been harvested and they have completely disrupted the natural appearance and beauty of these areas.

“For example in Togher Woods. In my view they have destroyed certain sections of that wood. The walking tracks in the forest are used on a daily basis by hundreds of walkers and by members of the public. People are extremely disappointed by what has happened there, particularly at the entrance to the wood. There was a lovely thriving forest there up to a few months ago, but all we have now is a big open space with tree stumps.” 

Cllr Mulligan said that public areas in forests should be protected and not harvested.

He also spoke about his recent visit to The Lost Village.

He said: “They have destroyed a big section up there. This is a major tourist attraction in the Slieve Blooms. It’s a very popular for hikers, bikers and walkers. They have taken away the natural beauty of the place. They have also made it more difficult on the tracks and trails that went through the forest. Because they have harvested in the area it’s quite difficult to follow the tracks and trails when people are hiking. Harvesting is making them less visually appealing. It’s reducing their attractiveness and reducing the areas as tourist amenities.” 

Cllr Mulligan said: “These areas are public amenities for the people of Laois. They are also tourist attractions and should be protected. Coillte is a semi-state body and as a result people should have a say in protecting and walking or hiking on trails in the woods in this county. People views should be taken into consideration instead of commercial interests.” 

Supporting the motion cllr James Kelly asked: “Do they have to engage or can they just come in when the trees get to a certain age and cut them down? Is there anyone within our local authority that deals with Coillte?” 

While appreciating cllr Mulligan comments Cllr Paddy Buggy said: “It’s less regulation we want. Not more regulations we want in this country. There’s far too much strict regulations in this country, regarding all aspects of our lives.

“Regarding forestry’s. They were originally planted as a way of generating timber for commercial activity. We saw an opportunity when forests were there to put an auld trail or something through them. I grew up in an area where my late father said that he always remembered tree forests in the area. There was one cut down when I was a child, and one planted. That one is there now again.” 

Cllr Buggy said: “Yes, we can take advantage of the beauty of forestry’s, while they’re there for a certain period of time. But the primary purpose of a forest is for commercial activity. I understand where you’re (cllr Mulligan) coming from and part of me wants to agreed with you. But I partially disagree because there’s over-regulation in this country and forestry is a business. You plant it. You harvest it and you plant again 30 or 40 years later. It’s the same all over the world.” 

Cllr Mulligan said: “There’s ample amount of forestry out there. They have grants for farmers to plant forests over the past few years. My view is that people have to come before commercial. All I’m talking about are a few walkways, trails and tracks in our forests around our county. While there’s plenty of opportunities to harvest trees, our public amenity areas should be protected.” 

Replying to cllr Mulligan’s comment about grant aid to farmers to grow trees, cllr Buggy said: “There is a scheme there were farmers can plant their land. Over 20-years they can get a tax-free amount of up to €8,500 an acre. If I sold that same acre of land today, I would get €15,000 for it. Why would I bother planting trees to get €8,500 and have to wait 20-years to get it? And when it’s all finished I’d have no say in what happens to that acre of land. When the forest is eventually cut down, at my own cost, I would have to replant it. So there’s no incentive for farmers to plant forestry.” 

Cllr Aisling Moran said: “I do see the commercial side of the businesses. But I support the motion. Coillte is a semi-stage company that receives public funding. Where there are public amenities in forests I think we should be entitled to hold onto those areas. There’s a lot of areas in Laois where there are trees and nothing happening to them, no trails or tracks going through them.

“But where there are such amenities, they are bringing people, tourists, hikers and cyclists into our county. In these certain areas, which are not huge, they should be left alone from cutting. The public should have some sort of say in this. They (Coillte) could go around and cut down the trees that are close to the roads and hanging over wires that are causing havoc, instead of the ones in amenity areas.” 

Cathaoirleach of the council cllr Pádraig Fleming said: “For years I have done a lot of walking in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. I was up there recently at the Ridge of Capard. I was shocked. All the forest that had been there for the past 30 years had been cut down. The paths that had been there before the trees were cut were still there. The message now is to ensure that the walking paths are retained and maintained.”