Protecting communities, farms, and nature from commercial forestry
Save Leitrim is a voluntary organisation standing up for rural communities, farmers, and wildlife in a county where commercial monoculture forestry has already gone too far. We want a fair, sustainable forestry model that works for people – not just for profit!
What’s happening in Leitrim
Leitrim already has some of the highest levels of forestry in Ireland, with large areas planted in fast-rotation, monoculture Sitka spruce. These plantations are often in the wrong places – on peatlands, on high nature value farmland, beside homes and schools, and in areas that should support thriving rural communities.
Decades of this Model Have:
- Pushed up land prices and made it harder for young farmers to access land.
- Contributed to the closure and threatened closure of schools, post offices, and local services.
- Left townlands where almost all of the land is planted in conifers.
- Damaged roads and increased the risk of flooding and storm damage.
- Reduced habitats for birds, insects, and other wildlife that depend on diverse landscapes
Why it matters
For our communities
People need light, neighbours, services, and space to live and work. When land is bought up by distant investors and planted wall-to-wall with conifers, communities hollow out. Families move away, clubs and schools struggle, and the social fabric of rural Ireland is weakened.
For our farmers
Farmers should be able to make a living from the land, but they cannot compete with subsidised forestry companies and speculative investors. We want a model that supports farmers to stay on the land – including through native woodland and agroforestry – not one that prices them out.
For our soils & water
Planting dense conifer plantations on peatlands and sensitive soils can dry out peat, increase erosion, and pollute rivers and lakes with sediment, fertiliser, and pesticide run-off. Healthy soil and clean water are the foundation of any rural economy.
For our biodiversity
Monoculture plantations support far fewer species than native woodlands, wetlands, or traditional farmland. Ground-nesting birds, in particular, are losing the places they need to feed and breed. Protecting these habitats is about protecting life itself – for today and for future generations.
Save Leitrim works to
– Support communities affected by forestry to understand their rights and options.
– Object to and appeal unsuitable forestry applications and licences.
– Campaign for a just, sustainable forestry model at local and national level.
– Raise awareness of the social and ecological impacts of commercial forestry.
– Promote alternatives such as high nature value farming, native woodland, and agroforestry.