Donal Carey
Ceist:15 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Energy if there are any studies being conducted by his Department which are monitoring plant health and the effects of attacks by vermin on young forests.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forest Plant Health.
Irish forests are the healthiest in Europe and every effort is being made to maintain that status.
Studies to monitor forest plant health are being carried out by the forest service and by Coillte Teoranta on behalf of the Minister.
Studies on damage by the bank vole in young crops in the south west are now being initiated.
The problems in regard to the bank vole are occurring mainly in the south-west. Many alarming articles have been written in newspapers about the damage these voles are causing to trees. Will the Minister impress on the people carrying out the research the need for them to bring forward their solutions as quickly as possible?
This bank vole is a small mouse like animal which is believed to have entered Ireland in recent decades. It was first found in 1964 in Kerry and Limerick. It is known to have been in Cork in 1965 and survey work carried out in 1969-70 established its presence in counties Limerick, Cork, Kerry, Clare and Tipperary. It is thought to be spreading at a rate of about three miles a year.
The bank vole prefers a habitat of dense cover such as long grasses, brambles, hedgerows, scrub or woodland. Its normal food is berries, fruit, herbs and animal material. In certain circumstances, which are not yet fully understood, it can strip the bark from the base of young trees about three or four years old. So far damage has been confined to spruce trees. Apart from isolated cases during 1976 and 1987, the first significant damage was noticed in late 1988 and 1989. Affected trees turn yellow and die. The attacks are limited in extent and are generally concentrated in one area in County Limerick. Research is being intensified into the factors which may be related to the recent upsurge in activity and into the development of effective control measures. A number of possibilities, including the encouragement of natural predators, are being considered.