Forest Sell Offs? 5 Things We Can Do Now

What can we do to prevent forest sell offs in Ireland?

In response to a press release by the Woodland League,
"Call for an independent inquiry into Coillte public forest asset stripping".
Someone on Facebook asked "What can I do besides signing petitions and sending emails"

This is a question that is asked often.

Of course, I step in with a spiel of what Bards In The Woods is about. Alas the response is often a barrage of excuses and denials of why so called woodland passion people cannot actually be in the woods.

I heard similar from a Scottish church minister about churches many years ago. He said "people do not go to the churches any more but for some reason they want them to stay here" - but without use and support they do go away.

I believe when I speak for woodlands ...

... and Bards In The Woods here the message is clear ...

Get into the woods of Ireland more often with more of your friends and family. I believe a lot of the sell off intent is caused by not enough people using the woodlands. There is a quote, I read somewhere, of 15 million visits a year to the forests of Ireland, but most of these visits are to seven of the very few recreational woodlands in Ireland, like Lough Key in Co. Roscommon, and Ards in Donegal where this feature photo was taken.

We need more support with Bards In The Woods which has faced a lot of denial and excuses when people are invited into the woods. Excuses of why they cannot go ... yet they say they love the woodlands. It baffles me.

Bards In The Woods intent is a combination of encouraging heart, passion and expression with an audience that listens, shared picnics of local foods, shared help in identification and appreciation of the trees, flora and fauna around and a total green prescription of boladh na sioga, "the fae's breath" for us to breath and be healed. Japanese people engage in something similar called Shinrin Yoku (click)

This is something anyone can do

... with a partner, with friends, and does not need special events and leadership.

It was put to me that the real problem of forestry sell off is due to the criminal greed of Coillte management and government ministers that oversee them and their ignorance of the blessings trees bestow on us.

My response was - I think a lot of the greed happens when these administration crooks know people will not take much notice, which is the same with any theft.

I thought sell offs to developers had been going on since 1996, but this the recent Woodland League press release indicates this has been happening since 1989.

For those public woodland sellers, their ignorance of tree blessings are unlikely to be changed as its who they choose to be.

However, a raised active passion by those who feel and connect with tree blessings will eventually take away the votes that take away the careers of those who handle the legislation that encourages this greed to happen.

So here are 5 things you can do now ...

Read the Woodland League's press release I refer to.
click here for the online PDF of the full press release
and please do click here to sign their Save Ireland's Forests petition .

Another petition launched on Care 2.Petition Site where forms filled are sent to President Higgins, who is also patron and supporter of Crann that is dedicated to protecting woodlands and promoting more awareness about them. Woodland League above, do host their petition on Care 2 also and I thought this was the same, but both took my signatures and form filling, so I wonder.
Try this too, anyway.
click here to complete the form at the Save Ireland's Forests campaign on Care 2

Read this article - 12 Resources Supporting Ireland's Native Tress.
Join the organisations and take part in their events to save, protect and increase native forest cover in Ireland
click here to check these out

Be part of Bards In The Woods in Ireland, develop and share your passion for the woodlands and be part of them for their health, community health and your health ... the best all round medicine in the world. The more people that are in the woods using them, all of the public access woodlands, the less likely they will be attractive for private resale
click here to follow The Bards In The Woods Blog
click here to join the Bards In The Woods Group

For the fifth thing you can do, though we will be re-commencing Bards In The Woods all over ireland from 3rd March, first day of National Tree Week, ...

why not go to the woods of Ireland with partners, friends and family NOW!. Go and visit the woodlands as often as you can through winter.
As it is said in Ireland there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
Ask Santa for what you need to be comfortable in the woods.

So how can all this prevent forest sell offs?

If more people developed a huge passion for the woods then this would affect voting choices at elections. These people can only arrange the forestry sell off to line their own careers and pensions because we voted them in !!! Our voting is currency and these people that make forestry decisions have to be reminded that our votes are their means to their greed or service.

So, go ahead and work these 5 things you can do now ...

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