THE small village of Mountcollins, nestled on the Limerick/Kerry border, would be “closed in” by forestry if a plan by Coillte for a 55-acre forest on the edge of the village goes ahead, locals have warned.

Individuals and groups have lodged their concerns with Coillte and have proposed an alternative. “We are not against Coillte or against development,” said Kevin Flannery, chairman of Mountcollins Development Association and of the local Tidy Towns Committee. “We are against Sitka spruce.”

What we want, Mr Flannery said, is for Coillte to plant native broadleaf trees. “We can work with Coillte to develop it into a local resource,” he said.

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