Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020
1424. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review correspondence (details supplied) on a forestry model; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21612/20]
View answerMy Department’s policy is to increase species diversity within the national forest estate. To this end increasing afforestation levels across all 12 planting categories that make up the Afforestation Scheme is supported. All categories within the scheme itself must include a minimum mandatory planting of 15% broadleaves. These broadleaves can also be planted along the forest edge to soften the visual effect of the main forest crop and also to provide an additional habitat.
Areas of Biodiversity Enhancement (ABE) are also created as part of new planting. These comprise open spaces, retained habitat and widely spaced native trees. Their function is to conserve and encourage the development of diverse habitats, native flora, fauna, and biodiversity, to protect archaeological monuments and to facilitate an enhanced forest design. New plantations are encouraged to plant up to 15% ABE and most plantations achieve this level.
Native woodlands attract the highest payment rates within the afforestation scheme and are perhaps the most complex and biodiverse habitats in the country. As well as representing reservoirs of biodiversity, these deliver other important ecosystem services, such as water and soil protection, wider habitat linkage and carbon sequestration. Two of the grant and premium categories (GPCs) in the current afforestation scheme, are specifically targeted at native woodland establishment. The mid-term review of the Forestry Programme, completed in 2018, increased the rates for these planting categories in order to encourage more landowners to plant native trees. The premium is now paid each year for fifteen years at a rate of €665 per hectare.
Finally, a new “Woodland Environmental Fund” or WEF has been created by my Department to attract additional finance for the establishment of native forests. This initiative provides an access point for businesses to further incentivise landowners to plant native trees. The WEF is proving very successful with a number of businesses already sign up others preparing to join.
Issues in relation to UNESCO sites, for example, are factored into the decision making process for every licence application.
