Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1998

Vol. 495 No. 7

Written Answers. - Afforestation Programme.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

162 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to programmes sponsored by the Forestry Commission in the United Kingdom to reverse the damage caused by the drainage of boglands for the purposes of afforestation with exotic coniferous plantations involving the blocking of these drains and programmes to arrest the environmental damage caused by exotic coniferous afforestation in parts of East Anglia, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Dorset and the Peak District; the plans, if any, he has to adapt these models of good environmental practice for application in Ireland. [21559/98]

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

163 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the recently announced initiative of the Forestry Commission in the United Kingdom to remove conifers from substantial areas of the British countryside, including uprooting 4,000 acres of exotic conifers near Loch Lomond in Scotland and arranging to have them replaced with deciduous woodland, the removal of 20,000 half-grown corsican pines from the Lake District and the removal of nearly 2,000 acres of coniferous forest from bogland areas in the Kielder Forest; the plans, if any, he has to implement a similar environmental improvement initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21560/98]

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

165 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether the widespread planting of exotic conifers, accompanied by the drainage of wetlands and the supplanting of indigenous flora and their dependent fauna, is a major threat to local biodiversity and is contrary to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity which emphasises the importance of maintaining native biodiversity to provide for meeting the needs of future generations, as articulated by the 1987 Brundtland Commission report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21562/98]

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

166 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether the widespread planting of exotic conifers, accompanied by the drainage of wetlands and the supplanting of indigenous flora and their dependent fauna, is a major threat to local biodiversity, as defined in the schedule of environmental indicators published by the OECD (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21563/98]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 162, 163, 165 and 166 together.

I do not have detailed information on the management of specific plantation areas by the UK Forestry Commission; however, to put the position in context, it needs to be borne in mind that the Forestry Commission has over two million acres of woodland comprised of coniferous plantations, mainly Sitka spruce. I also understand that the Forestry Commission operates a policy of replanting under-performing crops. The forest service of my Department would insist on a similar policy if grant-aided forest development operations in this country were carried out in a manner which was not compatible with the protection of the environment.

Conifers, and particularly Sitka spruce, are outstanding tree species and ideally suited to the marginal soils available for forestry in Ireland. Far from causing destruction to the environment these species are major sequesters of carbon from the atmosphere and are renewable resources, thereby meeting two of the most fundamental environmental needs.

I do not accept that Ireland's afforestation policy is in any way in conflict with any international agreement or convention.

It is a fundamental condition of grant-aid that forestry development is compatible with the protection of the environment and there are a wide range of controls in place to ensure this takes place. All projects must be submitted for grant approval before work begins so that environmental factors can be taken into account. Where environmental considerations are identified other State agencies and local authorities are consulted in relation to national heritage, areas of landscape or amenity interest, areas of fisheries interest and areas of archaeological interest. Published guidelines on the landscape, fisheries and archaeology must be implemented by grant-aided forestry. Moreover, grants are not available for areas which are protected or qualify for protection under the EU Birds Directive or Habitats Directive. Applications for grant assistance have been refused and proposed projects adjusted on environmental grounds.

In addition, the forest service of my Department is currently drafting a code of best forest practice in relation to all stages of the forestry management cycle from seed selection through establishment and maintenance to timber harvesting and transport. Preparation of the code is a major undertaking involving extensive reference to developments in other countries and also addressing a wide range of issues including achieving the integration of forest management, maintaining biodiversity, ensuring sustainability, maintaining and restoring productivity, addressing sociological concerns and maintaining forest health while integrating biological, social and behavioural sciences. I expect that a draft will be available for wide consultation within the next few months.

John Gormley

Ceist:

164 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will confirm that exotic conifer species which currently make up the majority of new afforestation plantings are in fact prohibited from being planted in the forests of our national parks for environmental reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21561/98]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

Management of the State's national parks is the responsibility of Dúchas, which is under the aegis of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands. I understand, however, that the planting of exotic conifer species is not, in fact, prohibited in these parks.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

167 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the plans, if any, he has regarding persons who applied for headage in respect of plantation in 1991 receiving only £20 per acre; and when their payments will be brought into line with those who applied in 1992 and are receiving £58 per acre and, in particular, in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [21564/98]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

The applicant was given approval under the Operational Forestry Programme, 1989 to 1993, to establish a plantation at his site in County Mayo and the plantation was completed in April 1990.

Under Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2080, increased premiums were introduced and applied in cases where a forestry development was approved on or after 1 August 1992 and for which the afforestation grant was paid on or after 1 January 1993. Efforts to improve the situation of farmers paid under the earlier scheme have to date been turned down by the European Commission. I am in the process of preparing a new case which will be forwarded to the Commission at the earliest possible date.