We receive queries from time to time from farmers who wish to know if their land qualifies for afforestation grant aid. While a description of the land, soil type, vegetation cover and location provides an indication of site suitability for forestry, farmers should consult with their local Teagasc forestry adviser or forestry consultant for guidance.
In Ireland, soils vary considerably, especially in their arrangement and distribution, so broad-brush approaches to site suitability are not recommended. However, a general knowledge of soils and site conditions is worthwhile before seeking advice.
The first advice is to look around your farm and see how individual trees or adjoining forests are performing. If the proposed forest site is very exposed, infertile and/or subject to environmental constraints, then it is likely to be rejected for grant approval. If the site has a diverse range of grasses and other vegetation then it is likely to support a good crop of trees and be approved. The old Irish saying on vegetation is still relevant: “An t-ór fén aiteann, an t-airgead fén luachair agus an gort fén bfraoch” (“Gold under furze, silver under rushes and famine under heather”).
Farmers who have decided to plant land marginal for agriculture but suitable for productive forestry should, with the right advice, be in a position to proceed with grant applications for planting approval without too many obstacles. Close to 20% of Irish land limited for agriculture or not farmed – mainly poor grassland – is suitable for forestry and has few constraints.
For example, alkaline and acid brown earths, grey brown podzolics and wet mineral soils or gleys are likely to receive approval. So should podzols, peaty podzols and peaty podzol gleys with proper pre-planting cultivation, drainage and fertiliser application.
So, while large tracts of land in Ireland are approved for planting, barriers to afforestation exist on many sites including unenclosed land, acid-sensitive catchments and wildlife habitats such as land in designated hen harrier areas regardless of their suitability to produce productive forests.
For example, productive unenclosed land has been virtually banned for afforestation in recent years, but this is slowly changing and a more flexible approach is being adopted. Many of these sites are capable of growing excellent crops and are now being reassessed by the Forest Service based on vegetation analysis. A pilot scheme to plant some unenclosed land is showing excellent results and opens up the opportunity to add at least 200,000ha to the afforestation land bank with major social, economic and ecological benefits.
There has been a tendency In Ireland to accentuate the negatives of forestry with undue stress placed on barriers rather than benefits. This is in contrast to the continental approach which looks at the wood and non-wood benefits of forestry even in land that may seem inhospitable to trees. Continental foresters and farmers look on forestry in high altitudes as capable of providing water quality benefits, flooding mitigation, erosion control, shelter and landscape enhancement as well as climate change mitigation. In Ireland, once the 400m contour is reached (300m in the west), afforestation ceases. On many exposed sites this approach has merit but excellent crops have been established in the past on sites over 400m altitude including the Slieve Blooms and the Wicklow and Donegal mountains.
Nevertheless, landowners and farmers wishing to plant should be aware of the full list of sites where grant approval is likely to be refused for afforestation, although some may be approved or part approved. These are listed in the Forest Service Forestry Standards and Procedures Manual as:
High elevation areas over 300m above sea level in the west and over 400m in the east of Ireland.Infertile blanket and midland raised bogs including vegetation predominately consisting of heather, bog cotton, deer grass, sphagnum, sundew and bog asphodel.Unmodified raised bogs.Designated blanket and raised bogs.Plots with rock outcrop and associated shallow soils in excess of 25% of the plot area.Severely exposed sites and some sea-facing locations.Areas such as shell marl or sites which cannot be adequately drained.Sites not capable of producing a commercial crop of timber. These need to be at least yield class (YC) 14 for Sitka spruce which is used as an indicator although other conifers may not achieve the same level of production, while YC 4 is expected for oak or beech.Very poor unenclosed/unimproved sites where a standard application of ground rock phosphorus (GRP) at the time of establishment is unlikely to provide sufficient phosphorus input to bring the forest to full rotation.Sites where it is not practical to access or construct forest roads for timber extraction to public roads. Again, an adaptable approach such as cooperative roads and shared access routes may allow difficult sites to be considered for approval on application.Points to consider
A few points worth considering when seeking grant approval. In relation to the size of forest to be established, it is recommended that areas of at least 7ha (17acres) be planted to provide economies of scale to maximise the economic potential of the crop. However, farmers who are unsure about the forestry option should start small and then add to the area in later years if happy with their decision to plant. One-third of all forest owners have adopted this approach. The Forest Service acknowledges that planting is a major decision and provide grant aid for areas as low as 0.25ha (0.6acre) for conifers and 0.1ha (0.25acre) for broadleaves.
Further information on site suitability for planting is available from nationwide Teagasc forestry advisers or registered foresters who will either be operating as independent forestry consultants or employed by forestry companies.
Check websites of Teagasc (www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/) and Association of Irish Forestry Consultants (www.aifc.ie/services/) for lists of registered foresters.
We receive queries from time to time from farmers who wish to know if their land qualifies for afforestation grant aid. While a description of the land, soil type, vegetation cover and location provides an indication of site suitability for forestry, farmers should consult with their local Teagasc forestry adviser or forestry consultant for guidance.
In Ireland, soils vary considerably, especially in their arrangement and distribution, so broad-brush approaches to site suitability are not recommended. However, a general knowledge of soils and site conditions is worthwhile before seeking advice.
The first advice is to look around your farm and see how individual trees or adjoining forests are performing. If the proposed forest site is very exposed, infertile and/or subject to environmental constraints, then it is likely to be rejected for grant approval. If the site has a diverse range of grasses and other vegetation then it is likely to support a good crop of trees and be approved. The old Irish saying on vegetation is still relevant: “An t-ór fén aiteann, an t-airgead fén luachair agus an gort fén bfraoch” (“Gold under furze, silver under rushes and famine under heather”).
Farmers who have decided to plant land marginal for agriculture but suitable for productive forestry should, with the right advice, be in a position to proceed with grant applications for planting approval without too many obstacles. Close to 20% of Irish land limited for agriculture or not farmed – mainly poor grassland – is suitable for forestry and has few constraints.
For example, alkaline and acid brown earths, grey brown podzolics and wet mineral soils or gleys are likely to receive approval. So should podzols, peaty podzols and peaty podzol gleys with proper pre-planting cultivation, drainage and fertiliser application.
So, while large tracts of land in Ireland are approved for planting, barriers to afforestation exist on many sites including unenclosed land, acid-sensitive catchments and wildlife habitats such as land in designated hen harrier areas regardless of their suitability to produce productive forests.
For example, productive unenclosed land has been virtually banned for afforestation in recent years, but this is slowly changing and a more flexible approach is being adopted. Many of these sites are capable of growing excellent crops and are now being reassessed by the Forest Service based on vegetation analysis. A pilot scheme to plant some unenclosed land is showing excellent results and opens up the opportunity to add at least 200,000ha to the afforestation land bank with major social, economic and ecological benefits.
There has been a tendency In Ireland to accentuate the negatives of forestry with undue stress placed on barriers rather than benefits. This is in contrast to the continental approach which looks at the wood and non-wood benefits of forestry even in land that may seem inhospitable to trees. Continental foresters and farmers look on forestry in high altitudes as capable of providing water quality benefits, flooding mitigation, erosion control, shelter and landscape enhancement as well as climate change mitigation. In Ireland, once the 400m contour is reached (300m in the west), afforestation ceases. On many exposed sites this approach has merit but excellent crops have been established in the past on sites over 400m altitude including the Slieve Blooms and the Wicklow and Donegal mountains.
Nevertheless, landowners and farmers wishing to plant should be aware of the full list of sites where grant approval is likely to be refused for afforestation, although some may be approved or part approved. These are listed in the Forest Service Forestry Standards and Procedures Manual as:
High elevation areas over 300m above sea level in the west and over 400m in the east of Ireland.Infertile blanket and midland raised bogs including vegetation predominately consisting of heather, bog cotton, deer grass, sphagnum, sundew and bog asphodel.Unmodified raised bogs.Designated blanket and raised bogs.Plots with rock outcrop and associated shallow soils in excess of 25% of the plot area.Severely exposed sites and some sea-facing locations.Areas such as shell marl or sites which cannot be adequately drained.Sites not capable of producing a commercial crop of timber. These need to be at least yield class (YC) 14 for Sitka spruce which is used as an indicator although other conifers may not achieve the same level of production, while YC 4 is expected for oak or beech.Very poor unenclosed/unimproved sites where a standard application of ground rock phosphorus (GRP) at the time of establishment is unlikely to provide sufficient phosphorus input to bring the forest to full rotation.Sites where it is not practical to access or construct forest roads for timber extraction to public roads. Again, an adaptable approach such as cooperative roads and shared access routes may allow difficult sites to be considered for approval on application.Points to consider
A few points worth considering when seeking grant approval. In relation to the size of forest to be established, it is recommended that areas of at least 7ha (17acres) be planted to provide economies of scale to maximise the economic potential of the crop. However, farmers who are unsure about the forestry option should start small and then add to the area in later years if happy with their decision to plant. One-third of all forest owners have adopted this approach. The Forest Service acknowledges that planting is a major decision and provide grant aid for areas as low as 0.25ha (0.6acre) for conifers and 0.1ha (0.25acre) for broadleaves.
Further information on site suitability for planting is available from nationwide Teagasc forestry advisers or registered foresters who will either be operating as independent forestry consultants or employed by forestry companies.
Check websites of Teagasc (www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/) and Association of Irish Forestry Consultants (www.aifc.ie/services/) for lists of registered foresters.
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