Sir, – It was interesting to read Michael Viney’s article “Cultivating an understorey on the forest’s ferny floor” (Weekend Review, September 10th). He writes of the drastic effects of “ugly swathes of clearfell” as shallow-rooted conifer plantations are cut to the stump and of some of the negative effects this has on surrounding environments. Unfortunately, this is what is generally understood as “forestry” here in Ireland.
Mr Viney goes on to say that a new and increasingly popular approach that is being tried is CCF (Continuous Cover Forestry), which in continental Europe is called close-to-nature forestry.
It is unfortunate that Mr Viney’s article finished by referring to a research project where CCF methods were tried and proved “not promising”.
In fact, at present conifer and broadleaf stands that are being skilfully managed in this way here in Ireland are proving highly successful, with very little wind damage and a high success rate of natural regeneration where sufficient light conditions have been created.
Irish forestry is currently dominated by even-aged plantations. For practitioners of CCF, the main challenge is the transformation of these even-aged plantations over time into permanent forests that will enhance their important economical, ecological and cultural characteristics.
Current research projects, funded by the Department of Agriculture, are trialling various thinning systems that are key to this transformation. There is also work being carried out on creating an Irish database of forests where CCF is being practised. So research has now taken the important step of being informed by and recording work done by CCF foresters who are practising CCF management, rather than leading the research projects from a theoretical standpoint, as was the case in the past.
As that Irish Timesissue was being distributed, 15 members of Pro Silva Ireland were in Lower Saxony in northern Germany learning from second- and third-generation foresters how to manage Irish forests in this way. Pro Silva Ireland organises two home forest visits and one international study tour every year, open to everyone, to help us to learn how to use our forests more sustainably.
Two CCF practitioners from Prosilva Europe (a European network of such foresters and forest owners) assist in leading each of our forest field days and the consistent message from them is that we have the forestry conditions in Ireland in which CCF could be practised as a viable alternative to the clearfell system. – Yours, etc,