We need you! 

Your support to stop the sale of 22 acres of Coillte woodland at Ballymartle Woods, Riverstick 

Thanks to all the signatories of this petition so far.

We are frustrated at the signage on site now displaying SALE AGREED, as from Tuesday 11th of January 2022, despite efforts to positively engage and consult with Coillte in regard to this sale. 

There has been no Coillte update as to the state of the sale of the land and the expected engagement and consultation process prior to any proposed land sale was not shared by Coillte. We are still completely unaware as to how this 22-acre woodland site can be sold with NO community consultation.

Please sign this petition and share with your friends, family, neighbours and communicate your opposition with your local Councillors and TDS. 

Additional info: 

Instead of sale for an unknown purpose, a local Riverstick Walkway Group proposes to develop an extension of an existing Curragh walkway on this 22-acre Coillte Woodland site which is part of Ballymartle Woods. As per a proposal shared with Coillte, we believe the creation of a new 1.6km loop incorporating the Coillte 22 acre site for sale linking to the existing walkway would further enhance this natural community amenity. 

The proposal to sell this local Woodland site directly contradicts Ireland’s 2040 vision and the Sustainable Development Goals of Government, for example, the goal to,  

‘By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands’ https://irelandsdg.geohive.ie/pages/goal15  

Additionally, the sale is contra to the County Cork Development Plan 2022 – 28, where, in Vol 5. p.65, the following two points are of particular significance:  

‘DB-03 Support improved access to the River Stick along with the options for delivering an extended woodland amenity walk. Riverside walks will be required to be designed having regard to best practise guidelines, taking account of need to protect freshwater habitats and species.’  

The Walkway group is ready and capable of partnering in the development of ‘an extended woodland walk’ in an environmentally appropriate fashion.  

‘DB-04 New development should be sensitively designed and planned to provide for the green infrastructure assets of the village and will only be permitted where it is shown that it is compatible with the requirements of nature conservation directives and with environmental, biodiversity and landscape protection policies as set out in Volume One Main Policy Material and Volume Two Heritage and Amenity’.  

Ballymartle wood is part of the ‘green infrastructure assets of the village’ and the re-purposing of which would inevitably conflict with the above-referenced protection policies.

In this case, Coillte have also failed to live up to their values as declared on their website: 

In fact Coillte’s website states: ‘When developing our projects we aspire to work with the communities surrounding our projects and wish to be good neighbours and to build a healthy relationship based on trust and respect.’https://www.coillte.ie/our-business/our-divisions/land-solutions-about/land-solutions-engagement-process/ 

Our community has not experienced these values. We also note non-compliance with the Coillte published consultation policy https://www.coillte.ie/media/2017/03/Coillte-Forest-Consultation-Policy-March-2017.pdf the second bullet point highlighted here is one of many principles failed to deliver on in our case.  

‘We are committed to ensuring that people are aware of our plans and policies and that we present all of our information in a clear and understandable way.’  

Thank you for considering this issue and for your support. If you are interested in sharing your views and ideas please contact: VillageVision2022@gmail.com 

 

Our environment should it become commercialised or industrial. 

 

Mental health, as it was an outlet for the locals during the lockdown and a way out of the anxiety of the pandemic.