Wicklow and the Proposed Sale of Coillte Harvesting Rights
Wicklow Uplands Council Position Paper
'Deer on the Hills' - Photo by John Kilbride
Wicklow Uplands Council seeks ‘to
protect a sustainable forest industry in County Wicklow and to ensure the
provision of ongoing public goods, including recreational opportunities
throughout the county’.
There is serious concern in Wicklow
Uplands Council regarding the proposed sale of Coillte assets. It is understood
that, as agreed with the Troika, Ireland must examine the possibility of selling
€3 billion worth of state assets. Over the coming months options on the
proposed sale of Coillte harvesting rights for a period of 70-80 years will be presented
to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin T.D and
Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D., who will make
their recommendation to the full cabinet later this year.
It is unclear if the proposal applies
to the entire Coillte estate or a portion of it and what, if any, constraints
would be conditional on the sale. Wicklow Uplands Council’s position on this
matter is clear - it is firmly opposed to the sale. It considers the 70-80 year
timeframe of the proposed sale totally inappropriate. Conditions of sale cannot
be assured for such a long period which could include the sale of up to two
rotations of average yield class Sitka spruce. Furthermore, it cannot be
guaranteed that any conditions of sale would remain in place throughout multiple
governments which are likely during this period. In addition the potential for
the new owner(s) to resell harvesting rights would further diminish control
over these conditions.
It is difficult to establish the full
potential impact of the proposal however, as it currently stands, with so
little information available, Wicklow Uplands Council is unanimously opposed to
the proposed sale and this position paper raises the key concerns from a
Wicklow perspective which also have national relevance.
Key Concerns:
·
The protection of local jobs in Coillte and the
wider forest and timber industry.
·
Timber supply to sawmills, processing plants and
smaller operators which are a key sector of Wicklow’s rural economy.
·
The ongoing maintenance of recreational
facilities if the income from harvesting is sold.
·
The ongoing implementation and resourcing of associated
operations such as replanting, collection of illegal dumping, deer control and
research and development if the income from harvesting is sold.
·
Continued forest certification.
Wicklow Uplands Council wish to put
its concerns clearly on record as this proposal has the potential to have a severe
negative impact on the local economy, local employment, on recreational
opportunities and other wider public goods across County Wicklow. The Council
requests that this position be considered by Minister Brendan Howlin, Minister
Simon Coveney and the full Cabinet who will ultimately make this decision. It
also requests an early response to the concerns outlined and full clarification
on the proposed sale in advance of a public meeting on this issue which is proposed
to take place in Wicklow during June/July.
Background - The Wicklow Forest Industry
County Wicklow has a long
association with the forest industry. It is here that state forestry began in
1904 at Avondale with the purchase of the Parnell Estate. A total of 21% of the
land area of County Wicklow is forested in comparison with a national figure of
11% for the rest of the country. Wicklow’s forests comprise c 43,000 ha of a
diverse range of conifers and include 10% of broadleaf species. Approximately two
thirds of Wicklow’s forests are owned by Coillte. The total volume of timber
processed annually in County Wicklow is estimated at 160,000m3.
KEY CONCERNS:
Local Economy
Wicklow has a vibrant forest and
timber industry which must be permitted to grow and prosper. Each aspect of the
industry is mutually dependent from nurseries to sawmills and manufacturing and
continuous supply is critical to its viability. At present Coillte supplies 80%
of the commercial timber provided to the sawmill industry in Ireland. Supply to
Irish processing plants must remain a priority to ensure their ongoing
viability and growth. Any proposed sale of harvesting rights must ensure supply
or first refusal to local mills.
Employment
Local employment should be a key
consideration of the proposed sale. An analysis of Wicklow forestry employment
carried out in 2001 indicated that c 700 people were employed by the forest and
timber industry in Co Wicklow including 171 people directly by Coillte and 204
in Wicklow’s sawmills. The 2013 figure for Coillte employment in Co Wicklow is
156 people. The 2001 figure included people employed from sourcing of seed
through all aspects of forest growth and management to final harvesting,
haulage, timber processing and manufacture of end product. Many small towns and
villages in Wicklow thrive on various forest related activities e.g. Aughrim
and Tinahely for their nurseries, Glenealy with its successful garden shed
industry and the Glen of Imaal for its timber processing mills. It is vital
that these jobs are not lost as a result of the sale of harvesting rights.
Public Goods
A 2009 study placed the public good value of forest recreation at €97
million per annum with a further €270 million of economic activity being
generated annually in rural communities as a result of visits to forest
recreation areas and trails (Coillte & Irish Sports Council, 2009). Continued
open access to Coillte forests is one of the conditions assured to be part of
sale of harvesting rights. However, with this open forest policy comes the
responsibility to appropriately manage the network of recreational trails and
facilities that have painstakingly been provided particularly over the last 10
years www.coillteoutdoors.ie.
Access to well-maintained recreational facilitates is particularly important in
Wicklow which is already under significant pressure from the urban shadow of
Dublin City with its population of over 1 million people in addition to the
many tourists that the area attracts each year. Erosion of trails is an ongoing
issue requiring regular maintenance. Provision of sustainable recreational
facilities is particularly important given the health benefits associated with
an active lifestyle and the value of recreation to the local economy. Resourcing
the ongoing maintenance of the existing recreational infrastructure is a key
consideration.
Coillte has developed landscape
design plans for sensitive areas which have high landscape value such as the
Wicklow Gap. Felling and replanting is an opportunity to redesign some of the
poorly designed plantations dating from the 1960s and this should also be
considered as part of the proposal.
Wicklow Uplands Council welcomes
the assurance that conditional to any sale will be the obligation to replant as
required under the Forestry Act 1946. This is desirable for ongoing timber
production, mitigation of climate change, carbon storage and recreation. It is
important that the species diversity of Wicklow’s forests is maintained i.e.
that when forests are being replanted that broadleaves replace broadleaves etc.
Forest and Timber Certification
For over 10 years Coillte forests
have been independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as sustainably
managed forests and the company undergoes annual and 5 yearly audits to ensure
that the stringent environmental, social and economic standards set by
the FSC are met. The standards set through this process allow processing plants
to sell their products as sustainably managed products which are FSC certified
as long as they too meet the set criteria. The oriented strand-board plant in
Waterford depends on this to sell their product. Fortnightly Coillte timber
sales also vary in size to allow smaller operators the opportunity to purchase timber
according to their needs providing a level of social responsibility to timber
sales. Any proposed sale of timber harvesting rights must ensure ongoing
certification as a key condition.
Conclusion
Our state forests are a key asset
which is most likely to increase in value over the next 70-80 years. Their
value for production of forest products and renewable energy is likely to increase
as land becomes less available and the world population continues to grow. The
Wicklow forest estate is not only a valuable resource, it is part of Wicklow’s
heritage. It has been an important source of employment to generations of
Wicklow families, a tradition which continues today.
Taking the example of our
neighbours in Britain, the attempt of the current British Government to
privatise British forests less than two years ago resulted in uproar from the general
public. The subsequent constraints imposed on the sale resulted in a loss of
interest from potential buyers as potential financial return diminished. The
economics of the proposed sale of Coillte assets is also questionable
especially with conditions attached such as access for the public, associated
maintenance of recreational infrastructure and maintenance of a viable timber
processing industry.
In summary, it is not yet clear
what is being proposed. This needs to be clarified before stakeholders can
establish their position and an appropriate opportunity for consultation is provided.
The key concerns of Wicklow Uplands Council are clearly outlined in this paper.
It therefore requests that the conditions of the proposed sale be clarified and
made available both directly to the Uplands Council and to the general public as
soon as possible.
