23 September 2020 The Forestry Bill approved by Cabinet today fails to take account of “social factors”, Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) has said. The environmental body wrote to the Minister for State Pippa Hackett today about the current Bill which is set to go before the Oireachtas by Read more…
17 August 2020 The public’s ability to appeal forestry decisions is compromised in a new Draft Heads of Bill, environmental NGOs have warned. The Environmental Pillar, a coalition of 28 environmental groups, wrote to Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity Pippa Hackett last week and urged her to Read more…
12 August 2020 A new scheme for the planting of native woodland species on public land was officially launched today by the Department of Agriculture. The scheme aims to meet one of the outlined biodiversity commitments in the Programme for Government and will be aimed at public bodies at both Read more…
October 1st, 2019 The Green Party will today launch a motion calling for a fundamental shift in forestry policy away from our current clear-fell plantation model toward a focus on native woodlands. The motion, seen by The Green News, calls for the Government to push for a more diverse continuous Read more…
September 2nd, 2019 The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) has called for a radical overhaul of our forestry sector toward a focus on native species rich continuous cover woodland following the release of the Government’s new planting targets. The conservation group’s call follows the announcement that 22 million trees will need Read more…
August 24th, 2018 New Zealand has set a target to plant one billion trees over the next ten years in an effort to fight climate change, provide habitats for native species and enhance natural landscapes. The plan has been boosted by an additional $240 million in funding from the government – taking its cost to Read more…
August 14th, 2018 Over 30 conservation and environmental groups in the US have voiced concern that plans for large-scale biomass burning at Ireland’s peat-fired power stations are a serious threat to southern US forests. The findings of the groups, including the National Resources Defence Council and the Southern Environmental Law Read more…
April 13th, 2018 Kerry County Council spent thousands on urban tree care in Tralee in 2017 area despite warnings from experts, NGOs, and concerned citizens that the works were of poor quality. Invoices released to The Green News under Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) regulations show that the Read more…
December 14th, 2017 Coillte has planted over 260,000 non-native conifer trees in Ireland’s first official wilderness zone over the past four years despite agreeing to phase out commercial forestry in the area in 2013. A plan to phase out planting was agreed in a 2013 Memorandum of Understanding to establish Read more…
September 17th, 2017 Scientists and NGOs have reacted with dismay to a European decision to allow member states to increase their levels of timber harvesting up to 2030. On 13 September, the European Parliament passed an amended policy framework for future EU land use policy, particularly regarding forestry. Land Use, Read more…