In April 2018, my Department started a review of the national response to Ash Dieback Disease as it was increasingly evident from experience and the latest scientific advice that eradication of Ash Dieback disease was no longer feasible. This included a stakeholder and public consultation period, detailed field consideration of damage level evaluation together with a broader range of silvicultural and management options with the assistance of Teagasc and international experts.
The result of this review was a new support scheme for affected landowners called the Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme or RUS which opened in June, 2020. This provided owners affected by the disease a suite of options that will give the opportunity to recover the maximum economic value possible from their affected ash plantations. Following the launch of the revised supports to ash plantation owners including the new Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme DAFM will include details of these new supports in its seasonal promotional and publicity material on available grants and schemes to owners. In addition training is being organised for the sector around the detail of the new RUS scheme and damage level assessment.
In 2019, the Minister awarded a co-funded DAFM, DAE Northern Ireland, project NEXCELSIOR to investigate strategies for managing ash forests (infected and at-risk) under Irish conditions. Identifying key knowledge gaps exist in our understanding of alternative management strategies and their effect on (i) wood quality degradation, (ii) impact of other pathogens with ash dieback infected trees, and (iii) pathogen spread in relation to management regime and microclimate.
The group including Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin and AFBI Northern Ireland recognise that an all-Ireland approach is required to address its management. The overall aim of NEXCELSIOR is to develop evidence-based guidance for foresters to minimise the impact of the disease and to maximise the recovery of timber or other products/services and preserve ash as a component in Irish forests. Involvement of stakeholders from industry, government and NGOs will contribute to developing this guidance. DAFM awarded €132,600 with DEARA contributing an additional €132,600 in the cross border fund.
