Coillte "Stealth Privatisation"

national | environment | press release Monday May 24, 2010 08:53 by Andrew St Ledger - The Woodland League

The Woodland League accuses Coillte of 'stealth privatisation' of state forests

Chevy Chase Tree Felling

The Woodland League, a not for profit non- governmental organisation, has publicly expressed its concern at what it claims is the 'stealth privatisation' by Coillte of state forest lands.

The Woodland League were responding to the latest financial statement issued by Coillte , The Irish Forestry Board. According to a spokesman for the Woodland League, Andrew St Ledger, Coillte sold 33 million euros worth of public forests to the IFUT and AIB Pension Trust in 2008/2009 in order to balance its books, as the state company continues to trade at a loss, concerning its main remit, forestry.

The Irish Forestry Unit Trust (IFUT) is a partnership comprising Coillte, AIB, and Irish Life.

St Ledger points to the recent clear felling by IFUT of a mature pine forest in Chevy Chase Forest in south Galway as an example of the privatisation by stealth that is occurring, and claims that the Trust is now actively seeking 'cash for trees'.

"Local people who use Chevy Chase as an amenity were astounded when the felling began as they assumed that these trees were exempt from such felling because of their amenity and wildlife value" says St Ledger. "They were even more surprised to discover the trees were owned by IFUT and were no longer part of the public forest estate".

“Some of the concerned locals contacted the Woodland League who then ascertained through the Forest Service, that the felling was being conducted using a five year old general felling license” he says. "This practice allows for the local Forestry Inspector to be bypassed, this is in effect a fast- track approach to felling, as it eliminates the need for a fresh environmental assessment of the site".

According to St Ledger, the Chevy Chase site was recommended to be restored to a native woodland habitat by the Forest Service in 2005 and is a special protection area for birds (SPA), highlighting its ecological value.

"Given that we are in the middle of Biodiversity Week when biodiversity awareness is being promoted by the State, communities adjacent to Coillte public forests need to be vigilant about the role of IFUT and other pension companies in ordering the felling of forests which traditionally have been understood to be public forests" says St Ledger. "
He said “ Unfortunately when it comes to regulation, Ireland has one of the worst records for environmental protection in the EU with the least amount of protected areas for biodiversity at 1.17% of total land area". Albania one of the poorest countries in the world still manages to protect 3.58% of its territory, source United Nations environment programme.”
ENDS
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Contact:
Andrew St Ledger, PRO The Woodland League
[email protected]
087-9933157