At a conference in Ireland in 2004, I remarked that the Irish had had enough experience of imported plant disease to last them a thousand years - the calamitous potato famine in 1845. The man from the Ministry got up and bleated nothing could be done because this would restrict trade and the World Trade…Read more ‘Uinse’ by Sarah Flynn: grieving Ireland’s madness for monocultures
forest policy
Art.Earth artist of the month Cathy Fitzgerald and The Hollywood Forest Story: an ongoing eco-social art practice for permanent forestry in Ireland and elsewhere
Ahead of the international summit on cultural responses to 'Evolving the Forest' taking place in Dartington Hall, near Totnes, Devon, England this June, I was asked by Mark Leahy, of the Directors of the international ecoart network art.earth, to respond to some questions and discuss my work as featured art.earth artist of the month. This…Read more Art.Earth artist of the month Cathy Fitzgerald and The Hollywood Forest Story: an ongoing eco-social art practice for permanent forestry in Ireland and elsewhere
Visiting the Sessile Oaks of Raheen Forest, Tuamgreany, East Clare, West Ireland
I was back in the woods with my ProSilva Ireland forest family last weekend. With foresters, ecologists, forest owners, tree-harvesters, forestry students and newcomers, we visited the beautiful broadleaf and conifer-mixed Raheen forest near Scariff in Co. Clare (West Ireland). There are remnants of wonderful ancient Sessile Oak woods there (picture above), and they, and…Read more Visiting the Sessile Oaks of Raheen Forest, Tuamgreany, East Clare, West Ireland
Re-imagining forests for Ireland in 2016 and beyond
I was surprised and delighted to be asked by Dr. Deirdre O'Mahony to contribute a poster to the Teagasc and Galway County Council Farming and County Life 1916-2016 event, which seeks to commemorate the 100th year of Ireland's Rising and to reflect on developments in farming and country life across Ireland over the last century.…Read more Re-imagining forests for Ireland in 2016 and beyond
Standing up for forests, in Ireland, Nth. Ireland and Tasmania
Recent forest public protest walk at Jenkinstown Wood, Co. Kilkenny 8 June 2013, against the sale of public Irish Forests. Protest walks, talks, events were organised all over Ireland recently. . “A stunning victory for people power and public protest.” Richard Boyd Barrett (June 19, 2013), Irish politician and one of the main organisers of…Read more Standing up for forests, in Ireland, Nth. Ireland and Tasmania
Launching Greens Continuous Cover Forest policy at Irish Forestry Show, May 2013
Main points of the Irish Green Party Forestry policy (2013-16): To promote a graduated adoption to Close to Nature-Continuous Cover permanent forestry silvicultural systems and management (without clear felling), thus (i) ultimately creating permanent biodiverse forests containing trees of all ages, (ii) providing a more sustainable flow of products once the system is in place…Read more Launching Greens Continuous Cover Forest policy at Irish Forestry Show, May 2013
What does he plant who plants a tree? asks Jeremy Irons, we need permanent, non clearfell forests in Ireland
I'm just putting this post together to record what happened at Avondale a few weeks ago that has helped grow the public opposition about the proposed sale of Ireland's public forests. It was incredible to be part of roughly 4000 people, to turn up at Avondale, Co. Wicklow to take part in a public walk…Read more What does he plant who plants a tree? asks Jeremy Irons, we need permanent, non clearfell forests in Ireland
