DEAR EDITOR: Why are farmers expected to carry all the responsibility for habitat and biodiversity restoration? I have six small fields with hedges around each of them with over 50 trees in the hedges and the orchard.
Then I go into my local town, Tullamore, and what do I see – tarmac, cement, concrete, paving stones and buildings built with stones, concrete blocks and bricks. All these man-made structures cover soil that can no longer sequestrate carbon.
All the natural vegetation, be it grass, hedges, trees, or scrub are gone. Birds and animals that made them their home are gone. Where is the onus to restore biodiversity here? When will every housing development and apartment block be required to have at least one tree for every dwelling or commercial unit, and every garden be required to have one hedge, be it a small box hedge or a larger one, with native species?
ADVERTISEMENT
The gardens should have flowers or flowering shrubs to encourage pollinators. And what about road projects? If hedges are removed to widen a road or build a new one, does Transport Infrastructure Ireland have to plant the equivalent distance in new hedges like I would have to do if I removed a hedge on my farm? It’s about time we got some fairness into restoring habitat and biodiversity instead of deepening the rural-urban split.
Register for free to read this story and our free stories.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
DEAR EDITOR: Why are farmers expected to carry all the responsibility for habitat and biodiversity restoration? I have six small fields with hedges around each of them with over 50 trees in the hedges and the orchard.
Then I go into my local town, Tullamore, and what do I see – tarmac, cement, concrete, paving stones and buildings built with stones, concrete blocks and bricks. All these man-made structures cover soil that can no longer sequestrate carbon.
All the natural vegetation, be it grass, hedges, trees, or scrub are gone. Birds and animals that made them their home are gone. Where is the onus to restore biodiversity here? When will every housing development and apartment block be required to have at least one tree for every dwelling or commercial unit, and every garden be required to have one hedge, be it a small box hedge or a larger one, with native species?
The gardens should have flowers or flowering shrubs to encourage pollinators. And what about road projects? If hedges are removed to widen a road or build a new one, does Transport Infrastructure Ireland have to plant the equivalent distance in new hedges like I would have to do if I removed a hedge on my farm? It’s about time we got some fairness into restoring habitat and biodiversity instead of deepening the rural-urban split.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS