Farmers urged to create new woodlands

15/02/2012

Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill has called on farmers to help increase woodland cover across the north of Ireland by planting more trees.

The Minister was speaking after a visit to woodland belonging to Mr Robert Chesney, near Toomebridge, County Antrim, which received support from the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013.

Minister O’Neill said: “Woodlands play an important role in helping us meet many of society’s challenges and priorities, including provision of social and recreational benefits, maintaining and enhancing biodiversity, responding to climate change, as well as producing fuel wood or timber for construction. However, our countryside is one of the least wooded areas in Europe and we are keen to address this. The Forestry Strategy aims to double woodland cover and this project highlights the good work being undertaken by farmers in support of this goal.

“Every farmer can play a part in increasing woodland cover by looking for opportunities to create new woodland that integrate with and complement their farm businesses. On-farm benefits of woodland include shelter for stock, crops and buildings, reduced run-off, provision of fuel wood and timber, as well as an increased variety of wildlife. Here, on Mr Chesney’s farm in County Antrim, we see how new woodland and farming can continue side by side.”

Mr Chesney has created just over 10 hectares woodland, of which half is predominantly native broadleaf species of ash and oak and the remainder is Sitka spruce, a conifer favoured for timber production. He has been assisted in this work by Premier Woodlands Ltd, one of a number of forest management companies operating in the north of Ireland.

DARD provides support for the establishment of woodland through the Woodland Grant Scheme and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme. The Woodland Grant Scheme pays £2,400 per hectare for broadleaved woodland and £1,600 per hectare for conifer woodland. For new farmer applicants and farmer applicants under the current Farm Woodland Premium Scheme open since January 2007, annual payment rates range from £60 up to £290 per hectare (or £117 per acre) per year and compare favourably with current conacre rates for grassland. They depend on the category of land to be planted and whether it is inside or outside the Less Favoured Areas (LFA), so check first before applying. In addition, those claiming Single Farm Payment (SFP) in 2008, can now also plant their land and continue to claim SFP in addition to their annual Farm Woodland Premium Scheme forestry payments.

In conclusion, the Minister added: “Schemes such as the Woodland Grant Scheme and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme offer support to farmers and landowners to create new woodland, which can benefit the farm as well as wider society. I would encourage any farmers to seriously consider planting new woodland which integrates with their farm business. It is only through joint effort that we can succeed in increasing our woodland cover.”

Further information on forestry grant schemes and how to apply are available on the RDP website.

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