Forest Industries Ireland (FFI), the national trade association within Ibec, has voiced concerns about the government’s draft Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan.
FFI claimed that the draft plan, currently out for public consultation until next week, contains “large-scale actions” that will impact the forest sector.
The national trade association said that this includes restriction on harvesting operations, the clearance of forests, and targeted removal of the obligation to replant forests after clear-felling.
FII
Mark McAuley, Director of Forest Industries Ireland, said that the forestry sector supports the protection and conservation of all species and is aware that forestry plays an important role in providing habitats.
“However, FII is concerned about some of the actions proposed under the Draft Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan.
“Proposals such as clearing forests or removing the obligation to replant would have a serious detrimental effect on the forest sector and on the goal of growing our national forest cover.
“The government is targeting 18% forest cover and this is a major part of our national climate change targets. We need to create more forests to sequester carbon and fight climate change.
“If we undermine the forest sector, there is a cost in terms of the climate, as well as jobs and economic activity,” he said.
McAuley added that there is little evidence that the existing forestry restrictions have done anything to help the hen harrier.
“We are working with inadequate data that is creating ineffective policies and measures.
“The threat response plan does not consider the extensive environmental benefits of forestry and FII would encourage a balanced approach that takes into account multiple environmental objectives rather than a narrow view of just one issue,” he said.
“There is little evidence for the contention that large scale felling of forests would have a beneficial effect on Hen Harrier numbers.
“Taking this approach would be excessive. The benefits are unclear and the economic and environmental costs would be enormous. A more measured, evidence-based, approach is required,” McAuley said.
Hen harrier
The Hen Harrier is a territorial ground-nesting bird of prey that has seen significant declines in recent years. It typically breeds in open upland bog and heather moorland.
The draft plan identifies actions to address and reverse the key threats and pressures on the bird, arising from the agricultural, forestry and wind energy development sectors.
The identified actions are particularly targeted at Hen Harrier Special Protection Areas (SPAs), comprising six breeding and two wintering Hen Harrier SPAs.
Submissions on the draft plan may be made by email or by post to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) until 5:00p.m on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 .