Forestry companies looking for land suitable for planting have been avoiding Co Leitrim properties in recent months, auctioneers in the northwest have told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“It’s just hard to sell forestry land in Leitrim because there are so many people complaining about there being too much,” said Longford-based auctioneer Seán Dalton.

“I had 92ac in Leitrim with forestries’ interest, and money on it subject to it being planted, but they have pulled out,” he added.

The Save Leitrim campaign group has lodged systematic appeals against forestry plans in the county, targeting over 1,000ac last year. One auctioneer said this could double the time needed for the process from three to six months, and the word was now out there among investors to avoid Leitrim. “We would see this as a success,” said Jim McCaffrey of Save Leitrim, adding that the forestry appeals committee had begun to hear cases brought forward by the group in November but have not yet returned any decisions.

Auctioneers said forestry companies had turned to neighbouring counties including Roscommon, Longford and Westmeath, leading to lower interest in marginal land in Leitrim.

McCaffrey welcomed this, saying: “It probably means we are returning to normal prices for farmers, it’s not sustainable to be above €5,000/ac.”

The campaign group is holding public meetings across the county this week in preparation for a demonstration outside the Oireachtas on 30 January. “Government policy has to change,” said McCaffrey.

While the national afforestation target is 17%, 19% of Co Leitrim is now under forestry, the highest rate in the country. “We’ve had as much Sitka spruce as we can take,” the campaigner said.