A newly approved afforestation scheme approved by the EU has been criticised by a local environmental and biodiversity group.
Save Leitrim believe that though forestry expansion is being hailed as a silver bullet against climate change, its causing as many problems as it solves.
The target of the scheme is to reach 18pc forest cover in Ireland by the end of 2027, with the annual broadleaf target set to be increased to 35pc of the annual planting.
The plans will not benefit local communities according to Brian Smith from the Group.
Speaking to Shannonside FM News, he believes the plan will result in rural depopulation:
'There's no downstream employment like there is with farming.
Because we have all the agri contractors and suppliers, and farmers are in and out of town everyday buying something.
Forestry is planted and nobody appears there for ten years and there's no money being spent or jobs out of it.
There is out of the farming community and those other downstream activities.
Afforestation is seen as a silver bullet for all our climate problems, and it's creating as many problems as it solves.'
