Offaly environmental campaigner begins birthday on 'hunger strike'

OFFALY environmental campaigner Tom Roche has begun what could become a series of one-day fasts to protest against the use of tropical timbers in Ireland.

On the day of his 71st birthday, UN World Humanitarian Day, Mr Roche has embarked on what he calls a "hunger strike" to highlight the ongoing destruction of forests worldwide.

The founder of environmental lobbying and educational organisation Just Forests, Mr Roche has pinpointed Offaly County Council in particular as a local authority which is in breach of its own adopted policy.

He played a central role in drafting a policy on responsible timber use which was adopted by the council 19 years ago but he says it has never been properly implemented.

This year he has pointed to the use of non-native timber in the new seating in Tullamore town centre, including O'Connor Square.

This morning at 8am he began his fast outside Aras an Chontae, the head office of the County Council in Tullamore.

He says he is seeking a meeting with council management but will break his fast at 6pm and then return tomorrow if necessary.

He has been in written communication with the council on a number of occasions this summer and has been told in a number of replies from senior executives that procedures were being followed on timber use.

“There is nothing there that would indicate to me they have any intention of doing the right thing and putting a policy back in place,” said Mr Roche.

In relation to a previous county manager's declaration that timber would be sourced from sustainable sources "as soon as practicable", Mr Roche said he never agreed with the insertion of such a clause in the policy.

“That has to be removed. That was put in afterwards to my total objection. The original policy was much stronger.”

He said there was "uproar" at the time on the strategic policy charged with drafting and proposing the policy.

“It caused a lot of hullabaloo and a lot of people lost faith in the strategic policy committee process at that stage and I did too. That's why I wouldn't join in this time.

“This policy needs to be updated and tropical timber needs to be totally excluded."

He condemned the use of tropical timber in the cladding of Aras an Chontae, an award winning building acclaimed by architects.

"It's the ugliest building in the country. It's a shame to think that it's tropical timber wood."

Ireland is not a suitable country for the use of timber exteriors on buildings, he insisted, and there is enough native timber for properly treated street furniture.

“It's a north American and Australian custom. Our custom is stone and concrete for exterior.

“Wood is not for outdoor use. It's grand for beautifying interiors but not practical in that application."

He said he had no regrets about spending his birthday outdoors without food on World Humanitarian Day and stated he also wished to remind the public that over 200 people had been killed worldwide last year protecting the environment.

“This is just my contribution to the overall picture," he said, adding that the coronavirus pandemic was linked with human encroachment on natural forests.

"Covid-19 is a direct result of ecosystem destruction. This is why this use of tropical timber in this country has to stop. We can't be sucking the goodness out of tropical countries any more and expecting to have no more pandemics. We will if we continue the destruction.”

He said he will eat at 6pm. “I don't want to jeopardise my health," he said. “I'll be back tomorrow if I don't get any face to face meeting.”

See this week's Tullamore Tribune and Midland Tribune for more on Mr Roche's campaign.