It is difficult to imagine today that Maam Valley – or Joyce Country – was once covered with trees. Now, apart from the coniferous forest blocks to the west of the road that skirts the meandering Joyce – or Maam – River, the valley is almost treeless.

At first glance, there are no forests or woodlands to the east of the road that heads northwest through Maam to Leenane. But on closer inspection, there is a native woodland in the making at Griggins townland, which acts as a counterpoint to the coniferous forest across the river.

Established two years ago, this is the brainchild of Marina Conway, CEO, Western Forestry Co-operative. However, this project needed a visionary farmer to reimagine and recreate the primeval forest that once dominated this landscape.

Micheál Laffey seized the opportunity and decided to convert a portion of his sheep farm to native woodland. The plan to establish 20ha was submitted by Western Forestry Co-op to the Forest Service almost five years ago, under the new Native Woodland Establishment scheme “Schedule 5”. As it was the first submission, it took over two years before approval was issued for 15ha.

It has been two years since the site was invert mounded, deer fenced and planted with a broad range of native species, and the trees are thriving. The owner and Western Forestry chose species with clear objectives in mind, including soil improvement and protection, timber production, landscape enhancement and habitat biodiversity.

Soil improvement

Birch and alder are the two species that provide soil improvement and nurse benefits. For example, birch, a pioneer species, not only establishes quickly on low nutrient soils, but also has soil amelioration qualities.

Julian Evans, author of Silviculture of Broadleaved Woodlands, believes “the litter produced by leaves and twigs beneath birch woodland develops a mull humus, which leads to an accompanying rise in pH exchangeable calcium rate of nitrification and number of earthworms.”

Alder has nitrogen fixing qualities, as the nodules on its roots contain bacteria that allows the tree to take up atmospheric nitrogen. Both birch and alder act as nurse species to protect trees such as oak, which otherwise would struggle in this environment. The species are also protecting the site against erosion.

Timber production

Micheál Laffey regards timber production as an important objective. This is why Scots pine and oak – pedunculate and sessile – were added to the species mix.

His son Máirtín, a graduate of Letterfrack College, the National Centre for Excellence in Furniture Design, sees the woodland, in his own lifetime, producing lengths of timber for furniture, joinery and other high added value uses.

Biodiversity and landscape enhancement

The woodland also has a range of other ‘minor’ species, to encourage flora and fauna diversity, especially bird life, where mountain ash, holly and willow provide a rich source of berries and insects. The contrast between the evergreen Scots pine and holly, and the seasonal colours of deciduous birch and oak, will add variety to the landscape, as well as being compatible with the existing ground vegetation.

The site adheres to strict environmental guidelines. The adjacent aquatic zone had to be protected, which required a mixture of mound and pit planting. The wet flush areas were planted with moisture-loving species such as alder and grey willow.

A key objective of the woodland is to manage it without any herbicide or fertiliser application.

“In the past, I would have applied herbicides annually to treat rushes and bracken, but now, under forestry, we use neither chemicals nor fertilisers,” Micheál explains. Marina outlines the future plan for the site:“We will manage under continuous cover forestry (CCF) principles,” she says.

“From year nine, we will select trees for potential wood production and carry out pruning, followed by thinning the alder and birch at year 15.”

While Micheál understands why some farmers would regard the replanting obligation as a barrier to planting, he says: “Nothing stays the same – what is a requirement today might not be a requirement in future.” He points to the long-term rewards, such as climate change, biodiversity and a chemical-free landscape. The woodland complements rather than competes with his sheep farming enterprise. “It’s my way of giving something back to nature,” he says.

Marina Conway is delighted to have established the first native woodland of its kind, but believes the scheme needs much greater promotion by the Department. “We have ideal sites in Galway and Mayo that are suitable for this scheme,” she says.

The scheme provides an establishment and maintenance grant up to €6,200/ha, while annual tax-free premium payments of €665/ha are provided for 15 years.

Comment

The Native Woodland Establishment scheme should by now have had a major impact throughout the country, but it has not taken off, despite demand from foresters and farmers.

There is an understandable caution by Forest Service inspectors before approving sites such as Micheál Laffey’s. To allay concerns, the Griggins woodland should be managed as a research trial and expanded to the unenclosed land, which includes lazy beds where the soil is ideal for native species. A native woodland research trial would require minimal expense and could be easily monitored by Western Forestry Co-op, along with Micheál Laffey.