The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) has hit out at proposals by Coillte to work in partnership with a UK asset management company as it aims to plant a further 100,000ha of new forestry.
London-headquartered Gresham House, which also has Irish operations, confirmed last week that it has teamed up with the state forestry company Coillte to roll out the new ‘Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF)’.
The UK asset management company also detailed that the fund will “acquire existing forest assets and when fully deployed, will represent a portfolio of approximately 12,000ha of new and existing forests” in Ireland.
INHFA council representative for Leitrim/west Cavan, Patsy Daly claims that the proposals are a major threat to rural communities and must not go ahead.
“How many communities are dealing with the scourge of a failed forestry policy that has prioritised the interests of investment funds and multinationals ahead of local farmers and the rural economy?” he said.
“This has seen local farmers unable to compete for farmland in their area as forestry premium and tax exemptions [have] given forestry investors a critical advantage in the purchase of land.”
In assessing the proposals by Coillte to partner with both the UK asset management company Gresham House and ISIF, the INHFA said that it will provide Coillte access to state support through the forestry establishment grant and the annual forestry premium.
The organisation claims that this would create a “land management and acquisition monster that no farmer can compete against”.
“There is an urgent need to reassess this proposal and we are calling on both Minister [for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie] McConalogue and [Minister of State, Pippa] Hackett to defer the signing of any agreement, until such time as there is a full debate on the implications for farmers and rural communities arising from the transfer of national territory to a foreign entity,” Daly continued.
“This proposal by Coillte should also provide a wake-up call to the government and those promoting the investor-led forestry policy that continues to undermine many rural areas.”
Yesterday, Minister McConalogue confirmed to Agriland that a partnership between Coillte and the UK investment fund did not require his approval.
The INHFA has said that it is time to change and implement a policy that:
- Promotes native woodlands and native broadleaves ahead of forestry monoculture;
- Supports farmers and communities ahead of management companies and vulture funds;
- A policy that will see trees as part of our farms and not replacing our farms;
- Support only available to those that have owned and farmed the land for a minimum period of time.
“This is a policy we can support and one that farmers and communities will support, but critically, a policy that ensures our lands remain in the control of Irish farmers who are invested in their communities,” Daly stated.