For the first time in Ireland, a native woodland strategy has been published. “It sets out a comprehensive, multi-sector vision for Ireland’s native woodlands, and a chartered course for realising that vision,” said Minister of State Andrew Doyle, who recently launched the strategy.

Published by Woodlands of Ireland (WOI) A Strategy for Native Woodlands in Ireland 2016-2020 has been finalised after consultation with a wide range of relevant stakeholders over the past 18 months.

The strategy includes objectives on raising awareness on the value of native woodlands and training initiatives for owners and managers. However, central to the strategy is a programme to establish 2,700ha of new native woodland and restore close to 2,000ha of existing woodland up to 2020. “This represents a potential investment of over €23m in existing funding from the Exchequer,” said Minister Doyle.

The Native Woodland Scheme (NWS), a package in the Forestry Programme 2014-2020 is a central component of the strategy, comprising two elements:

  • Establishment, which supports the creation of various types of new native woodland on bare land.
  • Conservation, aimed at restoring existing native woodlands and the conversion of non-native conifer forest to native woodland.

    • Woodland establishment

    “For farmers, the afforestation element of the NWS Establishment is especially attractive as it provides a capital grant of up to €5,750/ha and an annual premium of €635/ha for 15 years,” said Declan Little, WOI project manager.

    “The scheme can be used to pursue quality, indigenous wood production by planting oak, Scots pine, alder and birch as well as other minor species.”

    Woodland conservation

    “The conservation element is an attractive option for landowners with old, ancient or scrub woodland requiring management to safeguard their future and in some cases, to produce high quality, native wood,” according to Declan Little.

    “Many of these woodlands are designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and/or Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs), he said. “The scheme provides a capital grant of up to €5,000/ha and an annual premium of €350/ha/year for seven years.”

    Previous plans and publications on native woodlands emphasised their non-wood benefits. However, the strategy “pursues quality, indigenous wood production, while observing the overriding biodiversity enhancement objective,” according to Declan Little.

    In this regard, the strategy states: “Native woodlands need to be re-branded to bring them into the mainstream of forestry, to tackle their perception as areas of low economic value and as simply providing biodiversity and recreation.’’

    The strategy will require buy-in from a wide range of stakeholders if it is to achieve its objectives as stressed by Minister Doyle at the launch. “Landowners, farmers and local communities across the country are being encouraged to develop new native woodlands and restore existing indigenous woodlands,” he said.

    Declan Little said that WOI is well positioned to promote the strategy as it represents a wide cross-section of native woodland stakeholders. WOI promotes the management and expansion of Ireland’s native woodlands.

    Further comments on the strategy will be featured in next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.

    Wood award competitions in many countries with strong forest cultures feature farm buildings and other projects made from wood including houses, outbuildings, extensions, offices, barns, bridges, furniture and shelters. “We have yet to reach this stage in Ireland which has a masonry rather than a wood culture especially in construction,” says Paul Harvey, chair of the Wood Marketing Federation, the organisation that promotes wood usage and design in Ireland. “However, this is changing and wood is slowly becoming the medium of choice in a number of construction projects, throughout Ireland,” he maintains.

    “The federation and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) are encouraging farmers and other landowners who have completed projects in wood over the past two years to enter the upcoming Wood Awards Ireland 2016,” he says. “This is the second competition which promotes wood usage to designers, architects, engineers, craftspeople and other specifiers.”

    Invitations have been issued to Irish architects, engineers, designer and others working in wood to make submissions to the awards. If you have a project in wood, contact the WMF website (www.wood.ie/wood-awards-ireland) or call 086-2607 883 for further information. The closing date for entries is 19 August.

    It’s “all systems go” for the Tullamore Show, according to Liam Kelly of Teagasc. On Sunday 14 August, the forestry and energy section will be one of the major attractions at the show. “It will showcase all facets of Ireland’s rapidly developing farm forestry and renewable energy sectors, as well as featuring hi-tech machines and a wide range of indoor and outdoor exhibits,” he said.

    “The opportunities provided by a farm forestry enterprises to enhance family farm income particularly through new afforestation, forestry thinning and wood energy will be highlighted at the show.”