Members of Extinction Rebellion Ireland (ERI) interrupted the minister over a 15-minute period at the Forest Industries Ireland conference. They repeatedly highlighted reliance on non-native sitka spruce species to lower carbon emissions. But “the type of trees favoured by the forestry industry and Coillte – conifer plantations consisting of sitka spruce – is not the answer,” one protestor said. He accepted there were issues around forestry including insufficient levels of afforestation in Ireland to capture carbon. Resistance of farmers and the perception in certain regions that they were taking all the forestry needed to be addressed.

Source: The Irish Times July 08, 2019 17:25 UTC