Protection of woodland

Yorky

Is anyone interested in obtaining protection of a wooded area within an area zoned "low density housing" in the Monaghan County Council Draft Development Plan 2006-2012?

The area concerned is Gallanagh Wood located within the townlands of Gallanagh and Mullaghdun, Monaghan, covers a significant area and contains many broadleaf trees of varying maturity.It is shown on original Ordnance Survey sheets but is not depicted in the Monaghan Town Zoning Map and no reference made to it.

The land it is within has been sold to a developer recently for a high price so I fear they will just cut down all of the trees to cram as many houses on as possible.

I've been in touch with the Heritage service, An Taisce, Crann and the National Parks and Wildlife service. An Taisce suggested I form an informal group and then approach a local councillor to attempt to get the development plan ammended.

Is anyone interested in this? If so, please post here or send a PM.

Fanny Cradock

You may be able to get the area classified under the "native woodlands scheme". However, I would think the land owner would have to do this himself, and it may be subject to land in the ROI only. You may have some luck trying the Society of Irish Foresters, Coillte or the Forest Service for more info/ support.

Yorky

Thanks for your reply but Monaghan is in the ROI!

Fanny Cradock

Sorry, meant to say NI . Though thinking about it, it may be applicable across the entire Island.


:::edit:::

You may want to talk to your local Garda as, technically, the land owner would have to get a felling licence signed by them and then approved by the Forest Service before he is legally entitled to clear the land.

Oldtree

The main problem here is enforcement, or general lack of.
The development plan submission is a good idea as this will affect the planning stage of your developer's ideas. organising a group is a good idea too, but don't wait. talk to your local green party councillor, they may be able to guide you.
look for large old trees to apply tree preservation orders to under the plan. Look out too for endangered flora and fauna like bats and lichen. Could stop development altogeather.
Check into public rights of way and access, water tables and wells, breeding grounds, landscape values.
Look into progressive councils documents on the approach to take. Some will not considder planning permission if the site has been altered in any way before planning has been applied for. this idea could be inserted into your development plan.
make a complaint if the developer starts felling without permission.
make comments on the planning application, when made. That way you can appeal to an bord p if the council passes the application.
hope some of this helps.

Oldtree

other avenues are:

SPA-special protection areas for wild birds. Depatrment of environment designates them.
and also SSIA-special scientific intrest areas also by doe, i think.

once designated these are both then included in the development plan.

piraka

Does the county have a County Development Plan and a Landscape Apprasial, maybe the area is covered in this document for protection against development.

Another document of interest is the EU habitats directive. Can the area of concern be
defined under any of the Annexes

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/nature_conservation/eu_nature_legislation/habitats_directive/index_en.htm