The new forest program is expected to be operational by January, according to Secretary of State for Land Use and Biodiversity Pippa Hackett.
We aim to get the program up and running as soon as possible in January and that’s the schedule we’re working on,” she said at the official launch of the program yesterday.
However, the minister gave no details on the number of farmers expected to join the scheme or the number of hectares she expects to sign up.
“I can’t speculate but based on what we’ve had so far this year – we’ve granted over 4,500 hectares of licenses under the old regime – I think there’s been a lot of interest in it and it’s been very welcomed across all sectors, who are warmly welcomed by farm groups.”
Under the new proposals, premiums for planting trees will be increased by 46 to 66 percent and extended to 20 years for farmers.
Farmers who plant a mixed coniferous forest will receive €746 per hectare (an increase of €510) per year, equivalent to a payment of just under €15,000 over the 20 years.
When asked if they would plant on their own farms under the new scheme, none of the three ministers present at the launch – Secretary Hackett, Agriculture Secretary Charlie McConalogue or Secretary of State with responsibility for Agricultural Safety Martin Heydon – fully said yes.
Minister McConalogue said part of his family’s farm in Donegal was converted to forestry in the mid 1990s.
“My brother runs the family farm now, but I’m definitely going to take this project home and say check it out,” he said.
While 15ac of Minister Hackett’s farm are already planted with trees, she said she is “more than happy to look at the new scheme”.
Minister Heydon said there is no historic forestry on his family farm in Kildare.
“I know that many of our neighbors, and even us at home, will be keen to consider including some form of forestry with these high rate numbers,” he said.
Asked why farmers are paid premiums for 20 years while non-farmers are only paid premiums for 15 years, Secretary Hackett said farmers told her they wanted this to happen.
“Having listened to growers over the past few years, they would have liked to see an extension to 20 years, so we listened and responded, and ultimately we will be relying almost entirely on farmers to grow trees of the future.”
