Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Special branch: Over 75 cases of alleged illegal tree felling investigated last year

In several cases, trees were cut down in protected nature areas or on land previously sold to private individuals by Coillte.

Noteworthy - Explore the stories that matter to you

THE FOREST SERVICE has investigated over 75 cases of alleged illegal felling of trees in 2021, with a further 22 cases still open from 2020, newly released documents reveal. 

Data released by the Department of Agriculture (DAFM) – under which the Forest Service sits – shows 76 cases were investigated in 2021, with 39 cases still in progress. Tree felling licences are a legal requirement before the felling of any trees.

In 2020, 51 cases of alleged illegal felling were investigated, with around 20 cases still open. Records for these cases were released under Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) Regulations.

Many concern more minor incidents such as removal of trees from an estate in Co Dublin and the felling of some mature beech trees in Co Westmeath.

Some smaller cases are more complex cases, however, where trees are felled in protected nature areas, with the cases falling partly under the jurisdiction of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

  • Click here to read Noteworthy’s SPRUCED UP investigation into the environmental impacts of the Irish forestry model  

Large-scale felling operations

There are also several large-scale cases currently open, including the alleged illegal felling of over 30 hectares of trees, discovered by the Forest Service in October 2020. The location information is redacted in the released records.  

In an internal email from last October, one inspector told other staff that there was no felling licence in place and that the felling appeared “premature”. Aerial imagery showed that the site was “very clean”, they said, suggesting that “land use change may be underway”.

The Forest Service is also investigating the removal of three hectares of woodland in Co Cavan for which there is no felling licence. The case was brought to the service’s attention by the NPWS in December 2020 after it was contacted by a member of the public “sickened to see the devastation of a large area of mature, broadleaf woodland” while out walking. 

The Forest Service then undertook a site visit, finding that the species felled included ash, sycamore, holly and alder. The majority of trees, the inspector found, “would appear to be 10-50 years old with occasional specimens being up to 100 years old”.

The landowner told the inspector their intention was to turn the area into agricultural land, a common issue across many of the open cases from 2020.  

Pile of wood from tree removed from the ground Pile of wood from tree removed without a felling licence in Co Cork in 2020 DAFM / Forest Service DAFM / Forest Service / Forest Service

Make way for agriculture

In another case from 2020, the Forest Service investigated the removal of over 110 trees – mainly willow – from a site in Co Cork. During a site visit in October 2020, the landowner told the inspector that he did not know that a felling licence was needed.

The landowner claimed that Department of Agriculture (DAFM) staff had advised him to “clear the scrub” as it was affecting his farm subsidy payments.

During the conversation, the site visit report states, he reiterated the claim that DAFM staff had advised him to “clean the place up” and felt that it was unfair that he was now being investigated by the same Department that had advised him to do so.

  • Click here to read Noteworthy’s CASH COW investigation into the impact of the agri-subsidy model on biodiversity and farm incomes. 

In a case in Co Clare, a small section of woodland and almost 1,000m of hedgerow was removed from land bordering agricultural fields, with a large portion of the hedgerow within a protected nature zone.

In a letter to the Forest Service, the landowner said their intention was to reclaim the land to stock cattle and that they immediately stopped work when informed to do so.

Earlier this year, Noteworthy investigated the removal of hedgerows to make way for agricultural expansion, finding that almost 1,000 offences related to hedgerow removal on farms were identified by DAFM between 2011 and 2019.

Coillte land sales

Three of the open 2020 cases relate to the felling or lack of replanting of forestry on lands previously sold to private individuals by Coillte. 

This includes the reclamation of over 40 hectares of land in Co Galway for agricultural use, part of which had been legally felled by Coillte a few years prior to the sale of the land and for which replanting was a requirement in the contract for sale of land. 

The conifer plantation was on peat soils, with a Forest Service Inspector visiting the site in October 2020 to find large sections “fully in grassland” and excavators removing peat causing “significant amounts of silt” to flow into the main watercourse leaving the site.

Sale of land by Coillte came under heavy scrutiny earlier this year, with public concerns over the proposed sale of almost 16 hectares of woodland in Co Wicklow leading the commercial semi-state to halt the process.    

The land was advertised for sale in early November, a decision that was derided by People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett in the Dail. Boyd Barrett subsequently received an email from Coillte stating that the sale would not be going ahead. 

“This year we expect to sell [circa] 150 hectares of land but at the same time will purchase [circa] 450 hectares of new lands and forests,” the company said in the email to Boyd Barrett.

Information released to Noteworthy shows that between 2016 and 2020, the forestry agency sold just over 1,200 hectares of land. This includes two large sales in Galway in 2016, with 196 hectares sold in Derrydonnell and a further 101 hectares sold in Killeen. 

Most sales were far smaller and the median size of parcels of land sold in 2018, 2019, and 2020 were all below one hectare. Almost 200 hectares related to wind farm projects were sold between 2017 and 2020, including the sale of 43 hectares in Meenbog, Co Donegal.   

This article was supported by reader contributions to Noteworthy, The Journal’s community-led investigative platform. If you like this and our other work, consider contributing here.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
19 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute
    Favourite
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 4:48 PM

    Why don’t the government build a brand new hospital off the M50 accessible by road and public transport a hospital that’s not smack bang in the middle of the city and while building the hospital make it so that it has a helipad and no neighbours to protest every time a helicopter has to land in the nearest Rugby/GAA pitch and to alíviate not landing in a pitch have the helipad on the hospital roof. For the love and honour agree a final price all included and tie the contractor into it.

    272
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Roy Dowling
    Favourite Roy Dowling
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 7:43 PM

    This hospital isn’t smack bang in the middle the city centre. The hospital has a bus routes stop outside both entrance to the grounds. Sydney parade dart station is 5 minutes walk away. And there is a multi story carpark on the site with another currently under construction.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ChronicAnxiety
    Favourite ChronicAnxiety
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 7:58 PM

    @Roy Dowling: it is a NATIONAL maternity hospital , not a South county Dublin Maternity hospital,

    71
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute EillieEs
    Favourite EillieEs
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 8:21 PM

    @ChronicAnxiety: the point is that the St Vincent’s site is easily accessible by public transport as well as car.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute EillieEs
    Favourite EillieEs
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 8:34 PM

    @: the whole point of locating it alongside a general hospital and not as a stand-alone on the M50 was that in the case of complications there’d be immediate access to the emergency services that an acute general hospital provides.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rory J Leonard
    Favourite Rory J Leonard
    Report
    Jun 21st 2021, 7:48 AM

    @Roy Dowling:

    “Sydney Parade Dart Station is five minutes walk away”

    Ronnie Delaney, in his prime, wouldn’t have ran the true distance in that time!

    I wouldn’t be using that as a selling point for the proposed new maternity hospital!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Barrett
    Favourite Dave Barrett
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 4:32 PM

    Looks like another disaster like the children’s hospital is on the cards.

    206
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jeff Rudd
    Favourite Jeff Rudd
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 6:35 PM

    @Dave Barrett: If BAM has anything to do with it – yes!

    53
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Carroll
    Favourite Darren Carroll
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 4:35 PM

    Must be an election coming soon somewhere, chap is working overtime this weekend

    110
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ChronicAnxiety
    Favourite ChronicAnxiety
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 8:01 PM

    @Darren Carroll: FG are getting in it on the streets of DBS , does not help that James Geoghegan is on the board of the national maternity hospital and a founding member of renua.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dan
    Favourite Dan
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 4:36 PM

    Just start afresh….ask for the so called land that they handed over to be given over fully, no strings, no lease, no funny business.. any strings attached just walk away….everyone will see it as it is…dont waste a penny of our money on those folks… look for land that we do own and build there

    93
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mickety Dee
    Favourite Mickety Dee
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 4:43 PM

    @Dan: I think the sister’s of charity want to be paid for the land. It seems charity doesn’t extend to the provision of a maternity hospital

    89
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Skipper Mac
    Favourite Skipper Mac
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 5:35 PM

    @Mickety Dee: as far as I know Sisters of Charity are happy to give the land for the expansion of Saint Vincent’s and the new Maternity Hospital. However under the condition that the ethos of the hospital would remain Catholic.

    29
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mickety Dee
    Favourite Mickety Dee
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 6:10 PM

    @Skipper Mac: But that’s not being offered.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jeff Rudd
    Favourite Jeff Rudd
    Report
    Jun 21st 2021, 11:45 AM

    @Skipper Mac: @Skipper Mac: They were to gift it to the state – they stated this – but instead, actually gifted it to a further religious setup connected to themselves.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pete Lee
    Favourite Pete Lee
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 6:46 PM

    Have they paid money owed from abuse agreements?

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Annmarie Taylor
    Favourite Annmarie Taylor
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 7:02 PM

    @Pete Lee: No of course not.

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute DB
    Favourite DB
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 5:25 PM

    The mind boggles that even St Vincent’s have to be asked to give the land .

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Benny McHale
    Favourite Benny McHale
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 7:36 PM

    Get the Chinese to design and build a maternity hospital on the Naas Road. They’d have it done in a couple of months.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute leartius
    Favourite leartius
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 9:23 PM

    It’s such a laugh. Think back to 2017. In march 2017 Leo announced
    Leo Varadkar says Government ‘cannot seize church lands’.
    “A referendum on giving the Government powers to seize lands owned by the Catholic Church in order to recoup a shortfall in payments for abuse victims would probably be lost, Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar has said.
    Mr Varadkar was speaking after Minister for Health Simon Harris said there would be “significant merit” in seizing hospital and school property in light of a report which showed shortcomings in the church’s contribution to a redress scheme for those abused in Catholic institutions.”
    4 years later, Leo Varadkar says Government ‘hasn’t ruled out’ CPO of National Maternity Hospital site. That’s some comfort.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Jun 20th 2021, 9:34 PM

    @leartius: I’m not entirely sure what your point is. I don’t think you are either. A CPO is a forced sale but it’s not the same as seizing. And he’s still saying it can’t be done so it’s not like he’s changed his tune.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ron Ashenden
    Favourite Ron Ashenden
    Report
    Jun 21st 2021, 9:07 AM

    Can someone tell me why it has to be built in Dublin and not for the whole of the country say Mullingar

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Sinnott
    Favourite Martin Sinnott
    Report
    Jun 21st 2021, 7:28 AM

    Stop. Shame on the politicians
    .l just start building

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Sinnott
    Favourite Martin Sinnott
    Report
    Jun 21st 2021, 7:27 AM

    Stop. Sh

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      News in 60 seconds