*Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) and Dave Whelan assessing the amount of fallen trees in Inagh. Photograph: Tom Micks
OVER €360m worth of timber is lying on the ground leading a North Clare councillor to call for the expediting of felling licence applications.
Storm Éowny’s damage to trees across the country has still been felt 60,000 acres of forest trees still on the ground, seven weeks later.
In a proposal before Monday’s meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) called on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon (FG) and Minister of State for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Michael Healy-Rae (IND) “to fast-track felling licence applications for forest owners whose trees were damaged by Storm Éowyn and do not have a thinning or felling licence. We further call for grant aid for the replanting of the forest area”.
His motion welcomed the establishment of the Windblown Taskforce and asked “that a large-scale timber rescue operation be progressed similar to the Swedish experience of 2005. Finally, we call for the appointment of a coordinator for each county to assist the massive logistical and marketing strategy of our national asset”.
Speaking at Monday’s meeting, Cllr Killeen noted, “Farmers in the past were encourage to sew a forest as part of their holdings, unfortunately for a number of foresters mostly farmers, we’ve 60,000 acres of forest trees on the ground, that is over €360m worth of timber on the ground, once the timber hits the ground it is losing contact with its roots, the most time they would have to get those trees off the ground is twelve months, after six months the timber has dried out to a certain extent and it is not worth the same amount of money”.
Felling licences must be expedited, he stressed. 1,200 new licences are needed, Cllr Killeen calculated. “We need to speed up the approval of felling licences, now is the time to do something about it and get the timber off the ground”.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) said it was “fascinating” to sit beside Cllr Killeen for the “understanding” he brings to agriculture and forestry. “I had to double check what felling was so maybe I’m too long on the concrete,” the Clareabbey resident admitted.
Biodiversity impact needs to be assessed, Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) said. He flagged, “Farmers have taken their fair share of battering in the storms” and felt the matter needed to be handled before next winter.
“There’s an awful lot of value just sitting on the ground and it is perishable,” warned Cllr Conor Ryan (FG). “We are looking at eight months at the best end of the scale and it could be seventeen months which is too long to wait,” he said of the applications. Grant aid should also be provided for replanting in forest areas, the O’Callaghans Mills farmer believed. “It is very important, this was all done at cost, more native and durable trees were planted”.
Sweden dealt with the matter very quickly over twenty years ago, Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) recalled. “We’ve problems with taskforces here and waiting for felling licences,” he observed. Support was also voiced by the Cathaoirleach of the County Council, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF).
Assurance must be issued from the Minister and the Windblown Taskforce, Cllr Killeen stressed, “we’ve €360m worth of timber on the ground and 1200 licences needed,” he repeated.
All photographs by Tom Micks
