Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 October 2018
181. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide data relating to matters (details supplied) in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40521/18]
View answerThe vast majority of clear-felling is of conifer forests and the restock species is generally the same as the previous rotation. While there are no targets in place for broadleaf tree planting at the reforestation stage, where environmental sensitivities exist the inclusion of broadleaves may be a condition of the tree-felling licence. As broadleaves are not generally clearfelled, the percentage of broadleaves continues to grow and according to the most recent National Forest Inventory has increased by 3% between 2013 and 2017 bringing the overall broadleaf area to 28.7% of the national forest estate.
In the Forestry Programme 2014-2020 a target was set to plant 30% of the area of new forests created annually with broadleaf tree species. My Department is making a monthly return to the European Commission on this rate which I am pleased to note has increased this year, largely as a direct result of measures introduced in the mid-term review of the Forestry Programme.
Detailed annual information on reforestation is not available for the period requested. However the third National Forest Inventory completed in 2017 provides information on species composition in reforestation site that are 10 years old and younger. The re-stocking species and figures are shown below;
|
Species |
Area (ha) |
Percent Area (%) |
|
Sitka spruce |
36,660 |
60.7 |
|
Norway spruce |
557 |
0.9 |
|
birch spp. |
5,340 |
8.9 |
|
Scots pine |
16 |
0.0 |
|
other pines |
7,939 |
13.2 |
|
Douglas fir |
3 |
0.0 |
|
alder |
1,370 |
2.3 |
|
larch spp. |
1,378 |
2.3 |
|
ash |
1,432 |
2.4 |
|
beech |
66 |
0.1 |
|
sycamore |
156 |
0.3 |
|
sessile & pedunculate oak |
600 |
1.0 |
|
other conifers |
3 |
0.0 |
|
Other short living broadleaves |
3,698 |
6.1 |
|
Other long living broadleaves |
1,085 |
1.8 |
|
Total |
60,302 |
100 |
All new forests must be established in compliance with national and EU legislation and the Department’s requirements as set out in the Forestry Standards Manual, Scheme Documents, Code of Best Practice – Ireland and the suite of environmental guidelines including the Environmental Requirements for Afforestation and the Land Types for Afforestation, to ensure that the establishment of new forests is carried out in a way that is compatible with the protection and enhancement of our environment, particularly in relation to water, biodiversity, archaeology, soil type and the landscape. The scheme documents set out the requirements at the design stage, the site works stage and the ongoing management. The Form 1 application records the initial application and sets out the project in accordance with the Environmental Requirements for afforestation document. Failure to do so, following an assessment of the application by DAFM, may result in a request for further information to rectify the application, additional conditions, or refusal. Post planting the site may be inspected for compliance with the Environmental Requirements. The site is also subject to inspection at year 4 and at any point during the 15 year premium run.
The Department regularly issues Circulars to update all internal and external stakeholders on new developments or to clarify any issues that arise and in the last two years has issued five circulars related to biodiversity and the environment aspects of forestry. Some of these are to update on policy changes while others for example are to announce mandatory training for registered foresters on the revised guidelines. I have no concern that these measures are not being implemented uniformly as we operate to one common regulatory system for forestry in Ireland.
The Department has also encouraged all registered foresters to register with the Society of Foresters and participate in their Continuous Professional Development programme which is funded by the Department.
Under the DAFM / EPA Acid Sensitivity Protocol, afforestation applications within certain defined areas of the country must be accompanied by water sampling at pre-approval stage, to assess the sensitivity of receiving waters to acidification.
In summary, sampling and analysis by an accredited laboratory must be carried out on at least four separate occasions within the period 1st February to the 31st May inclusive, with each sample taken at least 28 days apart. Where the minimum alkalinity of any one of the four samples taken is <8 mg CaCO3 / litre, no afforestation is permitted. If the result is 8-15 mg CaCO3 / litre, full, partial or no afforestation may be approved, following discussion and agreement between DAFM, EPA and Inland Fisheries Ireland. If the result is >15 mg CaCO3 / litre, afforestation may be licensed.
It should be noted that where landowners or foresters get negative water sample results they may not proceed with potential applications and therefore the amount of sampling conducted may be greater than that reflected in the numbers submitted to the Department.
It should also be noted that, since early 2013, water sampling under the Acid Sensitivity Protocol is not required for afforestation applications which relate to native woodland creation, as these are not considered to have the same potential acidifying effect as other categories of afforestation.
