It will be impossible to restore farmer confidence in the forestry sector unless the Government addresses the ash dieback crisis, private foresters have warned. The Social Economic and Environmental Forestry Association (SEEFA) called for cross-party political support to change what it described as “the current malaise” regarding ash dieback within the Department of Agriculture.

“Does anyone really believe the next programme can be successful if confidence is not restored to the farming community by addressing serious issues such as ash dieback?” SEEFA asked.

Taking issue with the provisions of the recently announced Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback, SEEFA described as “unacceptable” the failure of the initiative to compensate plantation owners for the losses incurred to date.

Pioneers

“These owners were the pioneers of broadleaf forestry in Ireland and the failure of the Department to treat them fairly is having a negative impact on confidence and thus afforestation rates,” SEEFA stated.

While the private forestry body welcomed the recent hike in the site clearance grant rate to €2,000/ha, it argued that the payment was still “insufficient”.

“Clearing plantations which are now in states varying from dying, dead or rotten presents very serious health and safety concerns and consequently, significantly increased costs,” SEEFA maintained.

Fast track

The association backed calls from other forestry and farmer groups for plantation owners with ash dieback to receive fast-track processing of all licence applications, adequate grants for the removal of diseased stands, compensation for losses and premium payments for 20 years on all replanted forests.

“The pioneers of broadleaf afforestation need to become the champions of broadleaf afforestation.

“Due to the manner in which owners of ash dieback infected plantations have been treated by the Department, this is not currently the case,” SEEFA stated.