Green Party calls for urgent action on illegal felling in Co. Cork
The Green Party has today (Wednesday, October 15) called for a thorough investigation into reports of large-scale destruction of native broadleaved trees and matured hedgerows in Co. Cork.
The party said the investigation should be led by the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS), Wildlife Crime Directorate, and An Garda Síochána.
Green Party spokesperson for Nature, Senator Malcolm Noonan said: "What has been reported to have happened in Cork is truly shocking.
"This is an act of wilful destruction that wiped out centuries-old natural habitats and irreplaceable biodiversity for local wildlife.
"This incident also seems to have been seriously contravened the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations, with no record of a felling licence or exemptions applied for."
Green Party
The party also warned that the incident poses serious risks to local water quality and wildlife, with the site of the destruction approximately 1km upslope of the Blackwater River and on a steep slope that drains down to a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
Senator Noonan added: "Coillte may have questions to answer on their knowledge of the incident and ongoing monitoring of the site.
"How did such destruction proceed unnoticed? Such destruction took time, heavy machinery, and chainsaws and was labour-intensive.
"It beggars belief that the felling of mature trees took place without attention being drawn to such activity.
"We need to see swift and effective action from Ministers O'Sullivan and Healy-Rae to co-ordinate a Departmental and multi-agency response to get to the bottom of what has happened, and to prosecute those at fault for this horrific crime against nature.
"At a time of a biodiversity crisis, wildlife crime should be treated with the seriousness it deserves by all agencies of the State."
In a statement to Agriland, Coillte confirmed that the felling did not take place on Coillte-owned land but occurred adjacent to one of its sites.
It said: "We are aware of unauthorised access to our forest lands at Knockbrack, Co. Cork and the matter is under review by our legal team."
