Coillte is facing legal action from a number of disgruntled landowners over the operation of its forestry partnerships.
The landowners are believed to be unhappy with the manner in which their plantations have been managed.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that at least 10 cases have now entered an arbitration process, but the final figure could be far higher.
Coillte admitted a “small number” of landowners in partnership with the State forestry body have invoked the arbitration clause in their contracts.
However, a Coillte spokesperson refused to outline the exact number in arbitration.
It is understood landowner concerns include:
Claims of poor communication from Coillte regarding the management of plantations. Allegations that there has been an absence of transparency around revenues generated from the plantations.Assertions that an inventory of timber quantities removed from plantations during thinning was not supplied by Coillte.Claims that the landowners were not informed of the prices achieved per tonne for timber removed from plantations.Some landowners allege that weight dockets from sawmills were not supplied by Coillte in all cases.Growers maintain that a detailed breakdown of costs was not provided during thinning. Access
It is believed growers have also complained of not being able to freely access their plantations, and that stands of broadleaf trees have not been managed to an adequate standard.
Coillte has refuted the allegations, pointing out it that has a “folio of approximately 660 farm partnerships, over 12,500ha of highly productive forests”, and that the vast majority of these “are working well”.
“Notwithstanding the continual progress Coillte has made in managing and engaging with farm partners, regrettably there are a small number of farm partners who have invoked the arbitration clause in the farm partnership agreement,” a Coillte spokesperson stated.
“Arbitration is a private and confidential dispute resolution process with confidentiality obligations on the parties and therefore Coillte is not in a position to comment in respect of such cases,” the spokesperson added.
“Coillte will continue to address all concerns and issues raised through active engagement with individual farm partners.”
Coillte is facing legal action from a number of disgruntled landowners over the operation of its forestry partnerships.
The landowners are believed to be unhappy with the manner in which their plantations have been managed.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that at least 10 cases have now entered an arbitration process, but the final figure could be far higher.
Coillte admitted a “small number” of landowners in partnership with the State forestry body have invoked the arbitration clause in their contracts.
However, a Coillte spokesperson refused to outline the exact number in arbitration.
It is understood landowner concerns include:
Claims of poor communication from Coillte regarding the management of plantations. Allegations that there has been an absence of transparency around revenues generated from the plantations.Assertions that an inventory of timber quantities removed from plantations during thinning was not supplied by Coillte.Claims that the landowners were not informed of the prices achieved per tonne for timber removed from plantations.Some landowners allege that weight dockets from sawmills were not supplied by Coillte in all cases.Growers maintain that a detailed breakdown of costs was not provided during thinning. Access
It is believed growers have also complained of not being able to freely access their plantations, and that stands of broadleaf trees have not been managed to an adequate standard.
Coillte has refuted the allegations, pointing out it that has a “folio of approximately 660 farm partnerships, over 12,500ha of highly productive forests”, and that the vast majority of these “are working well”.
“Notwithstanding the continual progress Coillte has made in managing and engaging with farm partners, regrettably there are a small number of farm partners who have invoked the arbitration clause in the farm partnership agreement,” a Coillte spokesperson stated.
“Arbitration is a private and confidential dispute resolution process with confidentiality obligations on the parties and therefore Coillte is not in a position to comment in respect of such cases,” the spokesperson added.
“Coillte will continue to address all concerns and issues raised through active engagement with individual farm partners.”
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