Tom Hayes, Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, announced the launch of a new Seed Stand and Seed Orchard Scheme during his keynote address to the National Conference on What Shall We Do With Our Hardwoods? last week.

The aim of the new scheme is to increase the supply of superior home-produced seed. He told the conference, organised by the Wood Marketing Federation and the Society of Irish Foresters, that the seed “can then be used in nurseries to grow genetically improved trees for new planting and reforestation”.

He said the scheme, which is 100% State-funded, will provide financial support for existing seed stands registered on the National List of Basic Material and the establishment of both indoor and outdoor seed orchards.

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“While the main focus is to increase the resilience, productivity and quality of Irish forests, this new initiative also addresses the potential for forestry to meet the environmental and social needs of society,” he said.

“To this end, the scheme provides support aimed at the conservation and protection of Ireland’s ancient oak woodlands by providing funding to increase acorn production from these forests.

“This material can then be used in the Native Woodland Scheme which is also supported under the Forestry Programme,” he said.

The conference addressed the silvicultural and marketing challenges facing forest owners and processors. The conference heard from John Redmond of the Forest Service that broadleaved forests represent 25.8% of the national forest cover. However, production from broadleaves or hardwoods is miniscule compared with conifers or softwoods, especially in the medium to short term.

From 2011 to 2028 the cumulative volume is estimated at 1.5million m3 with projected annual production increasing from 11,000m3 to 17,000m3 from private forests. Annual broadleaved production from Coillte forests hasn’t been quantified but at best it is likely to be no more than a few thousand cubic metres.