In a recent Dáil exchange, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said his Department has “issued guidance on Natura Impact Statements (NISs)”. This guidance allows landowners with sufficient funds to carry out an NIS to receive preferential treatment over those who haven’t the necessary funds as an NIS can cost up to €1,500 depending on the site.

If there is a possibility of the proposed forestry project having an effect on plans or projects on a Natura site within a 15-km radius, then the project is “screened in” for appropriate assessment (AA). In that instance, the Department “can seek the submission of a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) to inform that process”.

The purpose of the NIS is to provide adequate information to enable the Department to undertake and complete its AA of the proposed forestry project. The pressure is now on forestry applicants to carry out NISs because the Department is prioritising planting sites with these environmental statements.

This is not only anti-competitive but it seriously disadvantages farm forest owners and local landowners, and is favouring an investor model of forestry

Applicants can get approval without an NIS but will wait, as demonstrated in a recent letter to a farmer who did not submit an NIS: “It will take some time before an ecologist will be assigned on an AA determination for your application. The current estimate is over nine months.” In reality, it is taking up to 18 months before receiving approval or non-approval. In this letter, the applicant is told that the submission of an NIS would reduce the time to complete the AA process to “between two and three months”.

“Western Forestry Co-op is appalled at the Department’s introduction of a two-tier system for licence approvals,” says Marina Conway, CEO. She maintains that this approach segregates those who can afford to pay and those who cannot. “This is not only anti-competitive but it seriously disadvantages farm forest owners and local landowners, and is favouring an investor model of forestry.”

“We call on the Minister to introduce a woodland and environmental planning grant as a matter of urgency to provide support for all landowners to be treated fairly in forest licence applications.”

Nursery maximises acorn collection in mast year

During the past two weeks, None so Hardy Nurseries staff have been collecting oak acorns as 2020 is proving to be a mast year. Mast (derived from maest, the old English word for nuts) refers to the fruit and nuts of trees and shrubs. A mast year refers to a year where there is an abundance of nuts and acorns.

By the time I reached Tomnafinnogue Wood in Co Wicklow last week, nursery staff were finalising their acorn collection. Large nets were strung out under giant oaks where the acorns were collected by Patrick Kilbride and Patrick Hennessy.

Patrick Kilbride and Patrick Hennessy, None so Hardy Nurseries collecting acorns in Tomnafinnogue Wood, Shillelagh, Co Wicklow. \ Donal Magner

The nursery also has seed collectors around the country sourcing both pedunculate and sessile oak and other native species.

In all, 6t of acorns will be collected to supply Ireland’s Native Woodland Scheme in two years’ time. A major obstacle to the development of the programme is the shortage of good native oak stands.

“Tomnafinnogue is the last surviving remnant of the famous Shillelagh woods and is close to the None so Hardy HQ,” said Lar Behan of None so Hardy Nurseries. “In September 2006 we surveyed, located, and marked 100 plus trees here which are potentially good seed-producing trees based on crown spread and area.”

None so Hardy has also earmarked other oak woodlands in Wexford, Clare, Laois and Galway. “We also collect whitethorn, rowan, cherry hazel, spindle and guelder rose,” he said.

“All the seed is hand picked either from the nets or from the ground depending on the site. It is quite a labour-intensive procedure with a picker collecting an average of 40-50kg of seed per day where the nets are not in use. This provides a valuable source of employment at what is a normally quite time for other nursery work.”

We are dependent on mast years, like this year, to provide a good collection

There are many obstacles in the way including access to the seed as undergrowth in the wood makes it difficult to place large nets so handpicking from the forest floor may be required which means the collectors are competing with deer, squirrels and other mammals and birdlife. Lack of a constant supply of seed is the biggest drawback.

“We are dependent on mast years, like this year, to provide a good collection,” said Lar. “But it could be three to four years before another mast year arrives, so we aim to collect as many acorns as we can this year.”

The 6t of acorns will yield about 600,000 plants in two years’ time, he said. “We are collecting these acorns in good faith as we can only hope there is a market for these trees in 2022.”

Forestry news in brief

Still no Mackinnon chair

It is now almost a year since the Mackinnon review was published but so far the appointment of a chair to oversee its implementation has not taken place.

Pressed by Sean Sherlock recently in the Dáil, Minister Charlie McConalogue wouldn’t commit to a date for appointing a chair but said: “I am currently examining the appointment of an independent chair to oversee the process. The intention is that this person will report on the feasibility of implementing the Mackinnon recommendations for us to consider further.”

Ash dieback support plea

IFA farm forestry chair Vincent Nally has said Minister Pippa Hackett must introduce income support for forest owners affected by ash dieback. “Forest owners with ash dieback have been abandoned,” he said. “The new scheme introduced by the Department in June does not include any market valuation or income support measures.”

The scheme is forcing farmers to manage a dying crop, to invest money into a crop that will yield “a very limited return, if any”, he said. “It is a ludicrous situation and another sign of the disconnect between the Department and forest owners.” He said that if the minister is committed to the proposals outlined in the programme for government she must support forest owners whose ash forests are being devastated by the disease.