Coillte under fire for clearing of woodland during nesting season

Regular visitor, wildlife photographer Elaine Kinsella, said she guided a panicked hen pheasant out of the way of machinery but the spot where her nest sat was subsequently cleared.

She has photographed many woodland birds, including woodpeckers, plus a red squirrel and newly wakened hedgehogs nearby in recent weeks and said she had serious concerns for their welfare.

“What does it say to other landowners when Coillte does this? It says it’s OK to cut down hedgerows because why should anyone observe the nesting and breeding season if Coillte doesn’t?” she said.

Coillte has planning permission for the development as part of a revamp of visitor facilities at Avondale House and grounds, the former home of Charles Stewart Parnell.

The walkway is to be almost 700m long, most of it elevated on stilts 24m high.

A seven-metre-wide corridor through the main woodland area has been marked out for the walkway and Coillte says all trees within it may be felled, although they will be retained if possible. A small number of rare specimens must be retained.

An ecological impact report carried out as part of the planning application says ideally the works should not be carried out between February and September.

It warns that the official nesting season is March to August and if works are carried out then, a qualified ecologist must be present, nesting birds protected and nests can not be disturbed without a permit from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

Coillte would not say whether it had such permits. It said the works carried out so far were “preparatory works for selected tree-felling operations” and involved removal of cherry laurel which was an invasive shrub.

“We are fully committed to ensuring all operations at Avondale Forest Park are conducted on a sustainable basis and a Coillte ecologist is scheduled to visit the forest park this week to assess the area,” it said.

PJ Byrne, who lives in the grounds of Avondale in a former forester’s cottage, said laurel and rhododendron had been removed and pointed out that the felling list included beech, sweet chestnut, sycamore, larch, birch, willow, eucalyptus and conifers.

“There was a public meeting and we were told the impact would be minimal but that’s not how it looks now,” he said.

“I never thought I’d see the day when trees were pulled down so people can get a better view of the woods. That doesn’t make sense.”

Ms Kinsella also questioned the need for the walkway.

“All that’s needed is a coffee shop, toilets, picnic tables and the parking to be sorted and that’s all part of the plan.

“Putting in the walkway is like turning it into Tayto Park. That’s bad enough, but starting it in the nesting and breeding season is not acceptable.”

Online Editors