Wild bird cover, tree planting and multispecies swards are among the measures farmers will be paid for in the new Agri-Environmental Climate Measure (AECM) from 2023.

Measures under GLAS such as low-input permanent grassland and traditional hay meadow are also set to continue under the new scheme.

It is understood these schemes will form part of the results-based payment side of the scheme, with higher payments allocated to farmers with better-quality habitats.

Farmers will have the option to select actions based around planting trees in rows, groups or parkland

Payment rates for the measures under the scheme have yet to be finalised.

Farmers will have the option to plant trees and/or hedges, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has said.

“Farmers will have the option to select actions based around planting trees in rows, groups or parkland.

“In addition, farmers are also proposed to be offered actions relating to planting trees in riparian buffer strips as well as potentially planting tree belts adjacent to farmyards with a view to capturing ammonia,” he said in response to a parliamentary question.

Another measure

Hedgerows and hedgerow improvement will be another measure in the new scheme.

If the results-based scheme is based along the same lines as REAP then farmers will have to demonstrate or commit to achieving a much higher than normal environmental benefit to secure maximum payments.

Twenty thousand farmers are targeted in the first section of the scheme, with a maximum payment of €10,000 available and an average of €7,400.

The maximum payment will be €7,000 and the average will be €5,000

Farmers will have to work with other farmers in their area to deliver environmental good.

In the second section, 30,000 farmers will be targeted to carry out actions on their own farms.

The maximum payment will be €7,000 and the average will be €5,000.

Farmers will only be eligible to take part in one section of the scheme. The scheme will be a multi-annual and will replace the GLAS and REAP schemes.