Feminist political ecology and poetic dwelling - what do Irish forests have to do with it?

Critical Ecologies

In this podcast, Sophie Thiessen discusses feminist political ecology and poetic dwelling in relation to forestry in Ireland, focussing on County Leitrim. Sophie describes the history of forestry in Ireland and how forestry policy has developed in the present day in relation to climate change. Situating our discussion in Leitrim we talk about how forestry in Leitrim has been and continues to be contested and resisted by locals, through pre-existing complaint channels, pickets, and protests, with a focus on the Save Leitrim Action Group. More broadly, we discuss how individuals have found alternative ways to practice forestry that are more sustainable and permanent. Sophie talks about the examples of Sioned Jones in County Cork who took direct action against sitke spruce forestry, and Cathy Fitzgerald in County Carlow who formed a slow art practice around transforming a plantation forest into a close-to-nature forest.