Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I have a few questions, one of which follows on from the questions on species mix and biodiversity. I would like to hear the delegates' views on the trade-off between heavily emphasising the production of Sitka spruce, because of its short-term commercial value, and developing forestry as an amenity and environmental asset. It is self-evident that broadleaf trees have a much greater amenity value for walkers and visitors. We are under-performing in this area given that Ireland used to be covered in oaks and other broadleafs. What will be done to expand in this area? This is very important at all sorts of levels. Native species are far more conducive to ensuring biodiversity than conifers, in addition to their having a tourism and amenity value. Sitka spruce is not particularly conducive to promoting biodiversity.

Very serious questions must be asked about the impact of the overemphasis on Sitka spruce on soil and water. It results in acidification. A doctor in Galway has suggested the outbreak of cryptosporidium-related illness in the Galway water system had something to do with the acidification of water and soil around Lough Corrib. I am no scientist and do not know whether this is correct. However, I have certainly heard plausible arguments that the acidification of water and soil is bad for fish, biodiversity, and soil quality. This has a knock-on effect in terms of flooding. Trees could be extremely helpful in holding riverbanks together. They prevent soil erosion and the more devastating effects of flooding. It has been suggested to me that native species are far better at achieving this. They have deeper roots and they are better for the soil because they enrich it. Sitka spruce, on the other hand, essentially impoverishes the soil and does not have the same qualities and strengths that native species would have along riverbanks, etc. What do the delegates have to say about that?

Following on from that is the question of agroforestry. This is linked to what Deputy Tom Barry was stating about farmers not having the expertise that is required. The advocates of agroforestry say that if one plants native species in and around pasture fields, it results in a great improvement because the trees serve as a windbreaker, enrich the soil and increase biodiversity in a way that is actually good for farming. Often, however, farmers do not see it that way. They see forests as taking up land that could be used more productively although agroforestry has the opposite effect. If one lines fields and areas that might not be best suited to cultivation with forests, it can have an enriching effect.

I drove to Donegal via the North. It was noticeable on driving through County Tyrone that, in the middle of farming land, there are big clumps of native species. They were on the uplands and in places where one might not be able to grow anything else, or places that might not be suited to more commercial farming practices. This phenomenon was much more evident than in County Donegal or elsewhere in the Republic, where I simply noticed field after field with very few trees. What are the delegates' views on this? What can Coillte do to encourage tree planting?

On the wider issue of afforestation, when Coillte is asked what its role could be in reaching the European average of 30%, which should be the absolute minimum in a country such as ours, it states there is nothing it can do because it cannot get the grant aid and does not have the land. That is crazy. If this is the case, we will never meet the targets. It is pretty self-evident that we are not meeting them. It will cost the State if we do not meet them in the longer term. How can we sort out this problem? The body that owns 50% of the forest estate in this country — the biggest owner of land — is saying it can contribute nothing to meeting what are absolutely vital targets for afforestation. Do we need to restructure Coillte? Must we remove the commercial aspect? I do not know what we have to do but it seems we have to do something if Coillte is to contribute to meeting our afforestation targets. If we do not, those targets will simply never be met.