This week we feature three case studies of forestry on upland sites or unenclosed land. Sites on unenclosed land formed over 70% of the planting programme up to the early 1990s but due to a ruling by the Department in 2010, virtually all of these have been precluded from the afforestation programme.

The productive sites featured are in Cork, which – along with Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary – has seen a reduction in planting in recent years. These sites are now being assessed by using vegetation analysis.

Vegetation is an excellent indicator of soil fertility but, Donal Magner argues that the performance of nearby forests should also be taken into account when assessing the suitability of sites for afforestation.

These upland sites are likely to form no more than 15% of the annual planting programme but are capable of yields four to five times higher than countries such as France, Sweden and Finland.

No longer utilised for farming, they will not only provide raw material for our timber processing and energy sectors but also offer carbon sequestration benefits and a viable income for the farmers who decide to plant these areas as part of their farm enterprise.