Galway City Community Network (GCCN ) is calling for a halt to the clear-felling of all healthy standing conifers in Merlin Woods. Galway City Council states that the clear-felling is intended to address the damage caused by Storm Éowyn that took place in January 2025.
Under current plans, 46% (38 acres ) of the entire woodland area will be clear-felled. There are fear that this will gravely impact the local fauna, as well as the community, whose physical and mental health rely on this vital natural oasis otherwise surrounded by concrete.
“”Clear-felling nearly half of Merlin Woods is a serious blow to Galway’s natural heritage,” said Jacinta Fay, GCCN Coordinator. “We urge the Council to stop the clear-felling of mature and healthy trees and implement sustainable forestry practices instead.”
“Clear-felling is a disaster for biodiversity as it disrupts ecosystems. If we want our forests to be more resilient to storms they need to be multi-layered through approaches like Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF )” added Jacinta Fay, GCCN Coordinator, “This would also adhere to GCC’s obligations under the EU Nature Restoration Regulations that there is no net loss of urban tree canopy cover. Merlin Park Woods is protected under the Galway City Development Plan as a local biodiversity area and wildlife corridor.”
In a statement last evening, the GCCN said that in a stark contradiction, while Merlin Woods Community Garden was nominated for Ireland’s Greenest Suburb, contractors fenced off from the public large adjacent sections of the woods and started the clear-fell in an area with the highest percentage of healthy trees. Prior to any work commencing, the community had requested that this healthy section be spared.
“Community members expressed distress upon learning that the clear-felling started from this precise location, where healthy standing trees were felled for high-quality timber while storm-damaged trees remain untouched. Protesters also noted that children are now having to divert from their usual routes on their way to school. While others expressed sadness at having already lost to clear-felling dear parts of the woods that held memories for them.
“Together with the conifers recently cut down or planned to be clear-felled, a large amount of pre-existing broadleaf trees planted as part of restoration works over the years, will also be heavily impacted.
“EU Regulation (EU ) 2024/1991 on Nature Restoration mandates the planting of 3 billion additional trees by 2050. In the legal binding legislation covering urban ecosystems, Member States must ensure that there is no net loss in the total national area of urban green space or of urban tree canopy cover in urban ecosystem areas by 2030. Contractors are currently clear-felling standing mature conifers which are important habitats and feeding places for the native red squirrel as well as other animal species in direct contravention of this EU law which was enacted in August 2024,” it concluded.
