Trees and forests represent an attractive opportunity to create an additional enterprise on the farm that can fit in well with existing farm activities.

They can deliver a range of benefits at farm level including playing a significant role in addressing our climate change challenges.

Trees are very effective in capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) gas from the atmosphere as they grow, converting it into organic matter through photosynthesis, and storing it in their biomass (trunks, branches, leaves, and roots).

Estimating carbon storage rates

To assist forest owners in estimating carbon capture rates in their forest, Teagasc, in conjunction with DAFM and Forest Environmental Research and Services Ltd (FERS) developed an online Forest Carbon Tool.

The tool provides a user-friendly way to get indications of potential levels of carbon sequestered in various forest scenarios.

How forestry works on a Meath farm

Aidan Maguire is a Signpost farmer in the DairyBeef 500 programme, who currently farms in partnership with his son Luke on 46ha of grassland, operating a dairy calf-to-beef enterprise near Navan, Co Meath.

Aidan has worked closely with his DairyBeef 500 adviser, Fergal Maguire, and local Teagasc adviser, Áine Gaffney, in developing his farming system in recent years.

In 2005, Aidan planted 14.25ha of forests on a mineral soil, consisting of the following species mix:

  • Sitka spruce/larch (4.49ha) – this is a fast-growing conifer stand with an estimated yield class (productivity indicator) of 24 (cubic metres/ha/year).
  • Oak/Scots pine (2.97ha) – this broadleaf/conifer mix has been previously thinned in 2017, removing the pine and is ready for a further thinning for which DAFM scheme supports are available.
  • Alder (1.69 ha) – this broadleaf species is growing productively and is due a thinning to favour the future potential crop trees, again with DAFM schemes supports available.
  • Ash (5.1ha) – the ash has been impacted by Ash Dieback disease. DAFM supports are available to remove existing ash trees and replace them with an alternative species/species mix.

    • Calculating carbon sequestered on Aidan’s farm

    The Forest Carbon Tool has allowed us to estimate the mean sequestration rates and mean cumulative sequestration (CAP) values for three of the forest categories in Aidan’s farm forest (Table 1).

    The CAP provides an indicator of the maximum potential sequestration capacity that a selected forest type can achieve.

    Productive conifer species such as spruce can return high sequestration rates, especially when their harvested wood products are taken into account.

    Broadleaf forests (eg alder, oak), have a lower mean annual rate of carbon capture due to their relative growth rates but cumulatively remove large amounts of CO2 over their lifetime.

    The ash plot was not included in the current analysis due to its disease status and its impending clearance and reconstitution with an alternative forest type.

    Table 2 presents indicative current forest sequestration rates for 2024 for the three productive forest categories within Aidan’s farm forest enterprise.

    Gross plot area is adjusted to include the productive area for each plot, taking into account unplanted, access and biodiversity areas.

    Overall, the productive area in Aidan’s forest of 8.4ha is estimated to have captured and stored over 200t of carbon dioxide equivalents during 2024.

    This rate of capture and storage changes over time, according to factors such as tree species, soil types, forest age, productivity and management interventions (eg thinning and harvesting).

    Aidan Maguire’s total greenhouse gas emissions for 2024 were 522t CO2e (NFS).

    The net emissions from this farm for 2024 were 321t CO2e, allowing for the indicative sequestration of the forestry on the farm of 201t CO2e or 38% of the emissions from the farm offset by forestry on the farm.

    Aidan has seen multiple benefits from the forestry

  • 1. It provided a tax-free income source for 20 years.
  • 2. It’s a pension pot for when Aidan retires. And while the ash dieback is a major disappointment for Aidan, taking advantage of the supports available to remove and replant it, he sees a productive new replacement forest as a future pension pot for his son Luke.
  • 3. The forest offers the potential to offset part of his emissions. For example, in 2024 the forestry offset Aidan’s emissions by 38%.
  • 4. Aidan enjoys the positive impact the forest has on his health.