Time for Mayo to follow Joe Blowick’s example

by Auld Stock

THE planting of trees is at an all-time low level in County Mayo.

I don’t know the reason for the drop in tree planting.

A lot of the blame must surely rest with the Department of Agriculture which appears to have fallen asleep on the job.

The texture of the soil in Mayo is the best in the country for the planting of trees.

When Joe Blowick from Belcarra was a government minister in the late 1940s and early 1950s he set in motion a scheme to plant hundreds of thousands of trees all over the Republic.

Sadly the headline set by Minister Blowick has not been followed in recent years. Successive governments have fallen down on the job.

More shame on them.

They should immediately get off their backsides and start planting trees again.

Trees are an integral part of our landscape as well as being a very valuable asset to our country.

Time to get cracking and follow the example set by Joe Blowick who had foresight and a sense of pride in our country.