|
Sean Connick TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food with responsibility for forestry, opened
Coillte's 'Healthy People, Healthy Forests' exhibition
at Bun Scoil MacAuley Rice, Callan, Co Kilkenny.
The Exhibition is being hosted by Coillte
in Callan as part of the town's week long Abhainn Rí Festival.
The exhibition showcases the best of the environmental and
recreational amenity provided by Coillte Forests and highlights
2010 as the 'International Year of Biodiversity'.
It brings together information on a number of Coillte's significant
projects and activities in managing the environment and features
forest recreation, habitat restoration, nature conservation
and nursery trees.
Minister Connick commented that the Exhibition provides an
invaluable opportunity for people to learn about - and appreciate
- the recreational and environmental benefits of forestry.
Hosting it in locations around the country made it accessible
to everyone - he commended Coillte for their initiative in
developing the exhibition.
Highlighting the renewable energy theme of the Abhainn Rí
Festival, the Minister said - "Renewability and sustainability
are key traits of forestry. Wood energy has a two-fold
impact - as a home grown, renewable, sustainable, carbon
neutral form of energy and, crucially, as a replacement for
imported fossil fuels."
The Minister also highlighted the contribution forestry makes
by way of employment, tourism, enhancement of biodiversity
and the provision of recreational facilities, in addition
to its traditional role as the source of timber and wood energy.
|
