muckymanor
Well-Known Member
http://www.agriland.ie/farming-news...ld-be-replaced-by-trees-is-nonsense-says-ifa/
What's your view?
My own is very simple and based on my own experience in my area.
Forestry wipes out rural communities.
A huge portion of government and EU grant aid goes to large companies who come in and buy up whole farms - local farmers cannot compete to buy land and expand. These grants were supposed to compensate individuals and families for growing trees and maintaining forests on their land. But in fact, these forestry grants only serve to reduce employment in rural areas.
A lot of forestry in this country has been planted with no consideration as to how they will get the trees out in future. Many sites have very poor access due to the roads / laneways that they are on. Many are just planted for to claim the 20 year grant and no consideration has been given to what whppens beyond that. Currently we see lorries ploughing up rural byroads while they bring out forestry thinnings. My view is that those planting forestry should need to apply for a type of planning permission which considers the suitability of the site being planted, access, road network, and a plan for what happens in the future - before planning is granted to plant a certain plot of land.
Finally, all of these sika forests don't do what other forests around the world do in terms of habitat. They provide very little food for wild animals because they are planted in such a way that from 8 years onwards, they block off all light to the forest floor. Nothing green only pine needles.
Maybe I'm just disgruntled. In the last 25 years, 8 adjoining farms around us have been planted. Nobody lives on 7 of those farms now. That's 7 less families in 2 square miles. It appears that the powers that be want us all to live in cities.
What's your view?
My own is very simple and based on my own experience in my area.
Forestry wipes out rural communities.
A huge portion of government and EU grant aid goes to large companies who come in and buy up whole farms - local farmers cannot compete to buy land and expand. These grants were supposed to compensate individuals and families for growing trees and maintaining forests on their land. But in fact, these forestry grants only serve to reduce employment in rural areas.
A lot of forestry in this country has been planted with no consideration as to how they will get the trees out in future. Many sites have very poor access due to the roads / laneways that they are on. Many are just planted for to claim the 20 year grant and no consideration has been given to what whppens beyond that. Currently we see lorries ploughing up rural byroads while they bring out forestry thinnings. My view is that those planting forestry should need to apply for a type of planning permission which considers the suitability of the site being planted, access, road network, and a plan for what happens in the future - before planning is granted to plant a certain plot of land.
Finally, all of these sika forests don't do what other forests around the world do in terms of habitat. They provide very little food for wild animals because they are planted in such a way that from 8 years onwards, they block off all light to the forest floor. Nothing green only pine needles.
Maybe I'm just disgruntled. In the last 25 years, 8 adjoining farms around us have been planted. Nobody lives on 7 of those farms now. That's 7 less families in 2 square miles. It appears that the powers that be want us all to live in cities.