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Climate activists have protested during a speech on forestry by the Minister for the Environment.<\/p>\nClimate activists have protested during a speech on forestry by the Minister for the Environment.<\/p>\n
As Richard Bruton took to the podium to speak, a man and woman from environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion appeared behind the panel and unraveled a large banner that read: \u201c80% species extinction. No more Sitka\u201d.<\/p>\n
Extinction Rebellion believes that commercial forestry is using the climate emergency as an excuse to endanger biodiversity, by planting Sitka trees across Ireland.<\/p>\n
Sitkas are a non-native coniferous tree, that activists say drive out endangered wildlife such as hen harriers and curlews, birds that they say could be extinct in Ireland in the next 10 years.<\/p>\n
After the banner protesters were ejected from the room, young people who were seated among the audience rose up and began reciting written speeches calling on the minister to take \u201creal action on climate change\u201d.<\/p>\n
The protest took place during Forestry Industries Ireland\u2019s Real Solutions To Ireland\u2019s Climate Emergency Conference at Dublin\u2019s Botanic Gardens on Monday morning.<\/p>\n
Extinction Rebellion said it was using the conference to \u201cwarn against seeing an increase in commercial forestry, and Sitka Spruce in particular, as a way of lowering carbon levels and combating climate change\u201d.<\/p>\n
The average forest cover in Europe is 32% compared to Ireland\u2019s 10.5% and only two countries in the EU have a smaller percentage of their land forested (Malta and the Netherlands).<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only are such plantations, harvested after a couple of decades and often unlocking carbon already stored away in bogs, far less effective in reducing levels of CO2 than natural native woodlands, but current practices of planting and managing Sitka plantations are detrimental to Ireland\u2019s wildlife, in particular to many species of birds and insects already threatened by extinction,\u201d a statement said.<\/p>\n
They demand the restoration of existing native forests, and a commitment from the Government to set aside large areas of land for rewilding and mature native woodland.<\/p>\n
They also believe any commercial forestry should consist of mixed native broadleaf species and should benefit local farmers rather than foreign investors.<\/p>\n
Mr Bruton sat quietly during the protest, however other members of the audience jeered, stood up and argued with the protesters, about whether or not Ireland was operating a monoculture in its forests.<\/p>\n
\u201cMinister, this isn\u2019t enough, we need to restore native habitats to end the biodiversity crisis and native woodland to act as a carbon sink, and allow us to get to net-zero,\u201d one protester said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal of 80% is too low and we all know this.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than a million species will be wiped out in the next decade and we cannot survive as the only species on Earth. If we continue to push our wildlife into extinction, we will follow shortly after.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour government has led us here over the past decade and we have a chance to change its course.<\/p>\n
\u201cMonoculture forestry is not encouraging biodiversity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is time to radically change course.\u201d<\/p>\n
After each protester had spoken and tensions had calmed, the minister returned to the podium and said he \u201crespected that this is an issue about which people are passionate, but if we don\u2019t listen to each other we will not be able to move forward.”<\/p>\n