Coillte owns a million forested acres and doesn't restrict access to people on foot. Now it's reviewing its policy to reflect the changing recreation landscape, and is hoping to please everyone. Iva Pocock reports
The State's biggest landowner, Coillte, has a long-held and generous policy when it comes to access: everyone on foot is welcome; all others need a permit. Giving visitors free rein has worked well for both the forestry company and the public since Coillte's precursor, the Forest Service, adopted an open-access policy in 1965.
But the recreation landscape has changed radically since then. Gore-Tex, mountain bikes and motor-scrambling have arrived, along with a more urbanised population keen to head out into the countryside for more than an afternoon of sitting in the car-park listening to radio sports coverage.
As a result Coillte's massive estate of more than a million acres is a playground for many different activities including hill-walking, 4x4 driving, horse-riding, shooting, quad-biking and orienteering which aren't always too compatible with each other.
The company estimates there are eight million visits annually to its lands, but the only guidance for managing its asset as a recreational resource is a one-page policy which welcomes walkers and asks all others to apply for authorisation.
Experienced Coillte forester and hill-walker Bill Murphy accepts it's surprising they haven't got a more detailed recreation policy, but adds "that's why we're rewriting it".
He's been charged with chairing the company's review group on its recreation policy which has been consulting with 164 organisations that have an interest in using Coillte's estate, which spans woods, open land, forest parks such as Lough Key in Roscommon and Parnell's old home, Avondale in Co Wicklow.
"We have a tradition of access and I believe we have a responsibility to that," says Murphy, standing on a forest trail beneath Djouce mountain in Co Wicklow. "But we've got to get more sophisticated in what we provide for people. We've got to provide as broad a range as possible." The days of solely equating recreational facilities with large car-parks, extensive lawns and picnic tables are over, he says. "We have extensive lands where people can roam for hours, enjoy the countryside but in a low impact way."
Members of the Bray active retirement group who are striding down the path above Powerscourt waterfall on a fresh Monday morning are just the kind of visitor Murphy is talking about. Set up last year by Bray man Jim Flynn, the group heads out each week for a four or five mile walk and frequently head over Coillte lands. This week's leader, Ann Brady, admits she's "not mad about the endless green" of the Sitka forests, but says "if Coillte wasn't here, we wouldn't be here". Particularly with all the recent controversy about hill-walkers' access to farm land, she's grateful there's somewhere to roam.
Hill-walking organisations are among those who responded to Coillte's open-ended questions about how they'd like to see its recreation policy develop. Their views differed.
"Some people wanted a hut up there, others said 'no way, it'll be burned down'," says Murphy as he points up towards Lugnaquilla mountain at the head of Glenmalure valley. "Some want to see more track markers, others don't want them, possibly to keep the masses away, but also because of a belief that if you're heading for the high country your map-reading skills should negate the need for a marked way."
Coillte will be striving for appropriate signage, says Murphy. "We want less of the 'we don't think you can do this' and more information such as 'there is no gradient greater than 10 per cent' so that people can make up their own minds about what they can do," explains Murphy. "Not everyone wants a wilderness experience. Some people just want to be able to go for a walk in their runners." Signage is also key to allowing different activities take place. At present there's no clarity - you don't see "no mountain bikes" signs - and people such as Ann Brady have been nearly run down by bikers coming down narrow trails which are busy with Sunday walkers.
Coillte currently authorises only competitive mountain-bike riding on its land but Murphy says it is keen to facilitate those who just want to get out for a cycle.
Cycling Ireland, the sport's governing body, has been working in partnership in trying to secure funding for a purpose-built bike track at Ballinastoe wood in Co Wicklow. Last year the organisation affiliated to the International Mountain Bike Association, which spokesman Brendan Kilbride says "is very strong on responsible use and sustainable track development".
Cycling Ireland greatly supports Coillte's policy development, he says, because "our sport depends on it taking place. The amenities are there and everyone should be able to use them in harmony . . . It'll take time to develop but it'll be a great boost to the country when it's finished," he adds. Murphy gives the example of Cody Brennan in north Wales where the number of mountain bikers rose from 14,000 to 140,000 after a special track was built. "They bring about £5 million into the local community each year," he says.
Coillte's current annual recreational budget is €1.5 million, which is small compared to its British or Finnish counterparts. The latter gets €27 million annually to provide recreational services. "Recreation is a big part of those forestry organisations' mandate but our legal brief is to operate as a commercial company," says Murphy. Its recreation budget is therefore limited, because recreation doesn't yield a direct financial return, and there are no plans to increase it. However Coillte is a wholly State owned company - the Ministers for Finance and Agriculture each own a 50 per cent share.
Murphy estimates that Coillte's recreational contribution from its 8,000 km of traffic-free roads, nature trails and car-parks is valued at approximately €16 million a year.
The company is keen to go into partnership with organisations such as Cycling Ireland. "We have the hall, someone else can put on the show but at least they can give us some money to power the lights," he says.
Back up on the hills, Murphy pulls out a multi-coloured forest-felling plan which gives details of when different tree-stands will be felled. "These are of great use to orienteers who are planning an event," he says. Five-yearly forest management plans will now be available for public consultation as part of the company's move to adopt sustainable forest management. While paying attention to the recreational needs of the community is not a criteria in the standards set down in the international certification body, Forest Stewardship Council, Murphy says the standards have "definitely changed the way we do business".
"The whole planning of recreation into the forest management cycle is going to be very important. Biodiversity is now a key deliverable; recreation will be." Landscape design and the aesthetic view is also now an important factor in Coillte's plans, he says, whereas before row upon straight row of Sitka was acceptable, regardless of contours or the vista. Retaining old walls, varying the forest edges and leaving old Scots Pine are now common practice.
It all points to a more joined-up way of thinking which will improve the lot of energetic outdoor enthusiasts. But not without some effort from the public. Murphy comes back time and again to the idea of shared responsibility, stressing that Scotland's historic land access law gives a "right to roam responsibly".
Leave No Trace, a programme adopted in the US, Canada and New Zealand, is the best way to encourage outdoor responsibility, says Murphy, and Coillte is keen to adopt it as policy, but only if all recreational stakeholders do too. "It's a programme that delivers. I spent eight days trekking in the White Mountains, New Hampshire and found just one piece of rubbish." He says many of the stakeholders who responded to Coillte's recreational policy review are open to Leave No Trace which has seven principles to ensure you leave a place the way you found it. Murphy reckons adopting the programme could be "an early win" for the Countryside Recreational Council, Comhairle na Tuaithe, established by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon O'Cuiv, earlier this year. With investment and commitment Coillte's land can be managed to the highest recreational standards for use by those who elect its owners - the people of Ireland.