On this edition of Enviro:

In part one: The team are discuss Ann Lynch Secretary Ballyboughal Hedgerow Society: following the occasion of 350 meters of historic Hedgerow being removed. Ann issued a PRESS RELEASE as follows: “350 meters of a mature Hedgerow was uprooted on Tues 26 Nov. The newly erected replacement metal security fence for WBD Farm Machinery Co would have fitted nicely behind it but instead the hedge was gauged out. This was the historical boundary hedge on the old coach road from the 1800’s and a great habitat for sparrows and wildlife.  As an educational response the Ballyboughal Hedgerow Society Will Do a Pop up planting this Saturday 29 Nov. We will plant a replacement hedge with local children and do Art, using Election Posters to create Hedgie Hero Pics with Sparrows, etc. All the fields are flooded in Fingal, farmers can’t take potatoes out, the nourishment for cattle is drained from the grass and yet a hedge which mitigated flooding is ripped out. Locals are shocked but feel little is done to protect the rural landscape” in the  subsequent discussion reference was made to the felling of semi-mature trees between the Northside Shopping Centre and the civic Centre, trees that could have been preserved if Dublin City Council had ensured that the residential design had been altered to take them into consideration.

In part two: The team interview Tony Lowes of the Friends of the Irish Environment on the subject of current environmental issues including minister Murphy’s undemocratic proposals with regard to public participation in the planning processes. Minister for housing Murphy is proposing draconian measures to limit the democratic process of public participation in the planning process. This follows the already undemocratic procedure of large developments being able to appeal directly to An Bord Pleanala, without first having the proposals dealt with by the local authority. Tony stated that he is optimistic that the youth will turn it around and ensure that the environment is properly protected. We agreed to follow up on this in the near future.

NEWS ITEMS: Baby elephants were “secretly” flown out of Zimbabwe and are now in China. As of the end of November this action will no longer be permitted as of the recent decision taken by the 18th Conference of the Parties (CoP18) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that no elephants may be removed from their natural habitat or historic range. WILL CHINA & ZIMBABWE ADHERE TO THIS DECISION?  Forest Friends Ireland has lodged an objection to the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine with regard to the proposed aerial spraying of forests in Donegal, Clare, Galway and Waterford.

Bayside writers: Christy Quinn and Martin Joyce from the Bayside Writers  read from their work.

Producer/Presenter- John Haughton

Panellists Joe Dunne, Robert Navan

Studio guests: Ann Lynch: Christy Quinn, Martin Joyce and Tony Lowes