Michael Creed
Question:378 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the incentives, if any, which are available to farmers to promote increased afforestation.
Written Answers. - Afforestation Promotion.
My Department operates a number of schemes for the promotion of afforestation and forestry development by farmers including:
—Afforestation
—Reforestation
—Improvement of Woodland
—Reconstitution of Woodland
—Planned Recreational Forestry
—Forest Premium
—Forest Roads
—Forest Harvesting
—Forest Nurseries
—Back-up Farm Forestry Services
—Forestry Training
The Afforestation scheme and the Forest Premium are the most availed of by farmers and provide the following incentives:
—£900 per hectare for conifer planting on land which was previously unenclosed and unimproved for agricultural purposes
—£1,100 per hectare for conifer planting on land which was previously enclosed and improved for agricultural purposes
—£2,000 per hectare for the planting of broadleaves
and
—A premium up to £116 per hectare for a maximum of 20 years.