GLAS is likely to be a lively topic at Timber 2015 with exhibitors such as Teagasc and IFA fielding questions on the scheme. In a circular issued on 9 April, the Department clarified GLAS on how it relates to the Afforestation Scheme.

The information note stated: “Unlike previous agri-environment schemes such as REPS and AEOS, farmers cannot convert GLAS land parcels into forestry without clawback of payments already made.”

However, it emphasised that despite this change, the scheme has inbuilt flexibilities to make it possible for farmers to take part in GLAS while also planting trees under the Department’s Afforestation Scheme.

“This is made possible due to the non-whole farm approach adopted by GLAS which allows for land parcels not associated with GLAS to be considered by the landowner for the Afforestation Scheme,” it stated.

It maintained that the Afforestation Scheme is complementary to GLAS as it enhances the environmental sustainability of the farm by contributing to carbon sequestration, water quality and biodiversity.

“In this context, the Department would like to highlight the importance to GLAS advisers of structuring plans at the initial planning stage to avoid closing off the option of the Afforestation Scheme if landowners decide to plant during the five-year GLAS term.”

These are outlined as follows:

Forestry in the GLAS plan: Where landowners are considering forestry, GLAS advisers should design the plan in such a way that allows the afforestation option to remain open to the farmer during the GLAS contract period. This can be achieved as follows:

i) Group GLAS actions in targeted land parcel identification system (LPIS) parcels, thereby maximising the number of remaining parcels which can be considered for other land use options, eg the Afforestation Scheme.

ii) Split existing LPIS parcels where appropriate to create new LPIS parcels which will have no GLAS commitments associated with them. These new LPIS parcels are available for planting under the Afforestation Scheme if the landowner chooses this option in the future. The decision to split LPIS parcels needs to take place at the planning stage.

  • In instances where landowners opt for actions under GLAS, afforestation cannot take place in GLAS commonages, Natura 2000 sites (SPAs, SACs), Farm Bird areas as digitised by NPWS or in high-status water parcels.
  • General points: Where GLAS participants decide to afforest parcels which have GLAS actions associated with them, the following rules apply:
  • i) When a single GLAS parcel is planted with forestry, the clawback amount is in relation to the actions associated with that GLAS parcel and not the other GLAS parcels making up the GLAS application that weren’t planted.

    ii) If the GLAS farm changes ownership and GLAS parcels are subsequently planted by the new owner, there will be no clawback of GLAS payments made to the previous owner.

    IFA Farm Forestry chair Michael Fleming stated that GLAS, particularly the LPIS parcels of low-input permanent pastures and traditional hay meadow, could reduce the land available for afforestation.

    “Farmers need to talk with their advisers and plan to maximise GLAS payments while also giving themselves the option to plant if they wish in the next five years,” he said.

    “I welcomed the information note, but with 16,000 applications in the system and thousands more plans drawn up, it would be too late to benefit some farmers.” Michael will be at Timber 2015 along with Geraldine O’Sullivan, executive secretary of IFA Farm Forestry.

    Dr Nuala Ni Fhlatharta, head of the Teagasc Forestry Development Department, said both schemes should be considered by farmers in association with their GLAS planner as they support the sustainability of the rural economy and the environment.

    “This should be done in advance of entering into the GLAS scheme so that the most advantageous combination of either or both schemes is identified on each farm holding. This will depend on the size of the holding, the nature of farm and the quality of the soil.”

    It would be important for the landowner and planner to have a good understanding of the requirements of both schemes.

    “In some circumstances there may be an opportunity to optimise the return from the farm by focusing the agricultural enterprises on the better-quality agricultural land and supplementing the family income with a viable forestry enterprise on the more marginal agricultural land,” she said.

    Teagasc advisers will answer queries on GLAS and afforestation at Timber 2015. Queries on GLAS and forestry can be emailed to forestryprogram2014-2020@agriculture.gov.ie.

    IFA will be demonstrating the benefits of the new Forest Assessor service to forest owners at Timber 2015, according to Michael Fleming, Farm Forestry chair.

    “The Forest Assessor is a timber measurement, valuation and timber yield optimisation service that IFA is offering farmers so they know the value of their crop before they sell,” he said.

    “Too much money is at stake for farmers not to manage their timber crop. The importance of good management to the value of the crop cannot be overstated.”

    He emphasised the importance of thinning and advised all farmers to visit the forest in the first days of harvesting, talk with the operator, familiarise themselves with the harvest plan and make sure the forest is being thinned correctly.

    “There is money to be made in first thinnings but the primary aim is to improve the quality of the remaining trees and focus the growth on the final crop to produce the best sawlog.”