Let’s do this in honour of David Attenborough

– Minister Eamon Ryan

But on their own natural forests can’t provide all the wood that we need. So we also have to farm trees, just like we do other crops…

– Sir David Attenborough

The attention afforded forestry in the programme for government is evidence that it will feature prominently as a land use compatible with agriculture as well as figuring prominently in the CAP negotiations. The challenge facing forestry in Ireland differs from most European countries with well-established forest cultures, where commercial forestry is widely acknowledged as compatible with environmental and multipurpose forestry.

The role of production forests is regarded as taking the pressure off natural woodlands which “can’t provide all the wood we need”, according to David Attenborough.

Attenborough expresses the need to protect natural forests alongside the need to “farm trees”.

If there is a criticism of the programme, it lies in the limitations it places on forestry

Ireland has the potential to fulfil these twin roles without negatively affecting agricultural production. Because of our dearth of natural forests, current policy will also require landowners – mainly farmers – to recreate natural forests by planting at least 30% of their forests with native species. The programme for government provides insights on how this will be achieved.

If there is a criticism of the programme, it lies in the limitations it places on forestry. This was also a feature of last year’s Climate Action Plan.

Both acknowledge the major benefits of forests in carbon sequestration, but fail to mention the role wood plays in the bioeconomy especially construction where it not only stores carbon during the life of the building but also displaces fossil-based material.

The programme for government needs to explore the wider benefits of forestry

This is one of the reasons high-rise buildings are now being constructed around Europe comprising 80% engineered wood.

Sustainable construction can also play a major role in decarbonising the economy in Ireland. The programme for government needs to explore the wider benefits of forestry, which are found both inside and outside the forest ecosystem:

  • In the forest, where carbon sequestration plays a key role in climate change mitigation; from tree canopy to herb layer, and also in the soil which is the biggest carbon store in the forest ecosystem.
  • Outside the forest, where carbon storage in wood products displaces fossil-based materials with high embedded carbon such as steel, aluminium and concrete, as well as generating energy which displaces fossil fuels.
  • End of life and beginning of new life, when wood can be recycled into new products or into carbon neutral thermal energy and used for heating or electricity.
  • If Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen wishes to take forestry out of its current state of inertia then he has to introduce a programme that maximises wood and non-wood benefits. If Green Party leader Minister Eamon Ryan wishes to fulfil his pre-election promise to honour to David Attenborough then he should listen to the naturalist’s views that conservation and commercial, production and protection are compatible sustainable forestry objectives.

    Programme for government – five goals

    A number of objectives stand out among forestry stakeholders when asked what this Government should prioritise to achieve a viable forestry programme. The following are the top five.

    1 Implement the Mackinnon review: the programme is committed to Mackinnon including a review of the forestry appeals process to align it “with other comparable appeals processes and ensure the licensing system is sufficiently resourced to clear the existing backlog, ensuring prompt issuing of licences in the future”.

    The main thrust of Mackinnon is to achieve a viable annual afforestation programme, which the outgoing government identified as 8,000ha.

    2 Establish an independent forestry development agency: forestry is the only natural resource without the support of an independent state development body such as food (Bord Bia), sea fisheries (BIM), marine research (Marine Institute) and renewable energy (SEI). The forestry and forest products sector would benefit enormously from the establishment of an independent agency and its parent department would also benefit from having the support of such a body at national and EU level.

    3 Minister for forestry: appoint a minister with sole responsibility for forestry who would report not only to the Department of Agriculture but also to climate action and have a voice at cabinet.

    A number of stakeholders wish to see Minister Cowen take the forestry portfolio for himself, like predecessors Joe Walsh and Ivan Yates did over the past 30 years.

    4 Make every acre count: close to 170,000ha of land suitable for forestry could be planted but is currently prohibited due to the “20% rule” which has effectively banned forestry on good-quality unenclosed land. This land has commercial potential but also can play a major role in native woodland restoration similar to the Caledonian pine and birch forests in Scotland as well as restoring viable forestry programmes in Munster counties.

    5 Restore the identity of forestry: the restoration of the name “forestry” in the Department of Agriculture title is long overdue. This would reflect not only its contribution to climate change, renewable energy, recreation and biodiversity but as Donal Whelan wrote in his submission to the Department’s Statements of Strategy: “The inclusion of forestry in the title would acknowledge the contribution the sector is making in growing, harvesting and processing, now valued at €2.3bn per annum.”

    In brief

    Down in the farm forest

    Teagasc has just published a booklet A Forest to Suit Every Farm, featuring a number of case studies of farmers who planted woodlands in recent years.

    What is unusual about the publication is the range of farmers involved: from beef to dairy and sheep to tillage. In addition, forests vary in size, with silviculural practices to match, from conventional thin and clearcut to continuous cover and agroforestry. The owners have a clear commercial objective but forestry is also a lifestyle decision that complements farming.

    “Farm forests in Ireland are becoming increasingly important as they mature and provide a wide range of diverse goods and services to their owners and to society,” writes Dr Nuala Ní Fhlatharta, head of Teagasc forestry development in the introduction.

    She encourages farmers to contact Teagasc staff for advice and to pick up a copy which is available at local Teagasc offices or to Google Teagasc “A Forest to Suit Every Farm” where you can download a PDF of the booklet.

    Scots pine revisited

    Our recent feature on Scots pine and research carried out by Dr Jenni Roche, Trinity College Dublin, outlined how Scots pine has maintained a continuous presence in Ireland and did not die out during the early Christian period.

    Space prohibited mentioning that her research was supervised by Prof Fraser Mitchell, Trinity College Dublin and that Scots pine seed collection is being undertaken by Bernard Carey.

    Both Bernard and Fraser presented talks on Scots pine research earlier this year for the Burren Beo Trust, which are available here.