Sir, – I wish to correct an omission from "The Dublin Mountains Makeover – Ireland's largest forest transformation" (Life, June 27th). The concept that has now become the Dublin Mountains Makeover was conceived in 2017 by the Dublin Mountains Initiative (DMI), an umbrella group representing the recreational users of the mountains (Mountaineering Ireland, Cycling Ireland, the Irish Orienteering Association, and the Irish Mountain Running Association). It was part of a document called "A Change of Emphasis", drawn up by the Dublin Mountains Initiative chairman Mark d'Alton, and Philip Brennan of the Irish Orienteering Association.
That document called for recreational use to be given priority in the six highest footfall forests in the Dublin Mountains and for those forests to be gradually planted with native species and broadleaf species, rather than the current Sitka spruce monoculture. It was then submitted to Coillte through the Dublin Mountains Partnership and, over the course of the next two years, Mark and Philip worked hard to persuade Coillte to implement the suggested changes. This, as you can imagine, was quite a challenge.
It is to Coillte’s credit that it ultimately decided to make the changes envisaged in “A Change of Emphasis” and that now, with the implementation of the Dublin Mountains Makeover, a project that will transform the mountains for the benefit of all has begun.
It is only fair that Mark d’Alton and Philip Brennan be publicly acknowledged as having been the instigators of all that has followed.– Yours, etc,
PAUL SCHWARTZMAN,
Secretary,
Dublin Mountains Initiative,
Dublin 18.