Petition to save Irish hedgerows

Grizzly 45

Bit OT this, but does concern us as Hunters. As we know hedgerows are vital for our wildlife and birds,as stock-proof fencing, and have historic value as many of our hedgerows have been on the landscape here since medieval times and have served as boundary and property markers for centuries.

Courtesy of bad Govt decisions on importing plants from dubious suppliers in Europe, we now have approximately 90% Ash dieback around Ireland and possibly the Monterey pine bark beetle, which is devastating to Sika spruce trees, as it was discovered in Co Clare last year. If fireblight gets into Ireland it will destroy our hedge systems in no time, and as there is now the Rewetting and "greening" of the country[no bad thing in itself] but bad news if diseased plants are imported to cause another devastation of our ecosystem. I

It can all be avoided by simply the Govt prohibiting ANY imports of plant or timber from any country in or outside the EU unless it has been cleared by a dept of Agriculture inspector or is guaranteed pest and disease-free by the export country.

Please sign, and pass it onto friends, family,gun clubs, etc.

Thanks

http://hedgerows.ie/fireblight/?fbclid=IwAR1cDn0ZcQvJnQdEvZTHVABcy5GMz2pG-nSMfYzPpkdqyLpvFhsbr89BE4E

LambshankRedemption

Signed.

Banzai600

signed

it would be a good idea to keep bumping or move to another thread ? its likely to get missed with traffic on other topics. Id never come into forestry unless i had seen it trending.

lmk123

It’s only a matter of time before the white thorn will be dead also, importing it from countries with known diseases, DAFM is the cause of it, last year they started the ACRES scheme and gave no notice to nurseries of the plants / hedges etc. that would be required for the scheme, farmers then have a deadline by which it needs to be planted and it’s not available here so needs to be imported, also the DAFM reduces the area you can claim grants on if there’s hedging / bushes etc. in place, therefore rewarding the farmer that clears everything and ends up with 1 or 2 huge fields instead of 10 fields with ditches & hedges etc. Anyway I’ll happily sign the petition but I’m afraid the damage is done.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121857088#Comment_121857088

A huge amount of damage has been done but it continues on nonetheless. I've lost count of the number of stretches along roads around N. Kildare and SE Meath where the mature trees have been felled (never mind where ditches have been removed altogether).

You're right though that the Dept are culpable in encouraging a lot of damage (I was involved in the early days of REPS and recall one farmer applying (& accepted) who had ripped out a large percentage of their internal hedges under the Farm Improvement Programme).