Environment groups oppose `green label' for Coillte for good forest management

The State-sponsored forestry company, Coillte, should not be granted an internationally accepted "eco label" certifying that its management of forests is environmentally sound, according to an alliance of environmental groups.

The Irish Coalition for Sustainable Forestry, led by environmental group Voice, has claimed Coillte does not yet meet the criteria for certification as it has "failed to respect unique and fragile ecosystems", and diminished natural biodiversity by persisting with the planting of non-native conifers at the expense of broad-leafed trees.

The certification, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), has become a key to successful marketing of timber products globally.

While Coillte said it accepted some of its consultation processes were still in embryonic form and that the company had inherited problems of poor environmental management of forests, it has strongly rejected the coalition's claims.

The coalition has called on communities concerned about the impact or management of forests in their areas to support its petition and to make their views known to a British accreditation company, SGS Qualifor, which this week began evaluation of Coillte's forest management practices in response to the Irish company's request for certification. It started with the examination of forests in Co Cork. The process will continue until June 28th.

Opposition to Coillte's certification comes as the European Commission informed the Government it is not happy with the species mix in Irish forests - notably the lack of broad-leaves - and the structure of a revised forestry grants package announced earlier this year.

It also has concerns about the environmental impact assessment mechanism as applied to forestry in view of the European Court's judgment against Ireland last September.

To grant Coillte the certification would be unacceptable on many grounds including lack of consultation; damage to landscape, and a failure to protect adequately archaeological sites, said Ms Jacinta French of Voice.

"We continue to receive numerous complaints from individuals and groups across the country regarding Coillte's appalling forestry practices and their failure to properly consult with communities," she added.

Mr Tony Lowes of An Taisce said it would be irresponsible to give Coillte "a green label" as a guarantee of environmental quality until it had a mechanism in place to ensure full consultation and a track record of environmentally acceptable forestry.

He did not dispute Coillte's intention to have environmentally sound practices and accepted the FSC process protected rain forests and indicated timber products were "managed in a truly sustainable way".

Coillte's head of public affairs, Mr Gerry Egan, said FSC certification was of "critical importance to marketing our products". Its consultation process was being extended and put on a formal footing, he said.

The company had 156 amenity areas in its forests and 11 forest parks and was responsible for 1,340 designated archaeological sites, he said. It was also involved in an extensive programme to ensure that forestry developments blended better with the landscape, he added.

"A lot of the criticisms are loose and unsubstantiated, and relate to the legacy of practices over the past 60 to 70 years," he said.

It was unfair to apply year 2000 values to what had happened 40 years ago when attitudes to landscape were different, Mr Egan said.