Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2021
625. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the number of farmers that afforested a part of their farm declined by 88% during the duration of GLAS, commencing in 2015 up to and including 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32999/21]
View answerThe table below indicates the number of farmer/non-farmer applicants that chose to establish forestry in the years 2015 to 2020. The table shows the overall number of newly established forestry sites has been in decline recently.
There could be many reasons for this as farmers have many options open to them to manage their land, including the lease or sale of lands. Non-farmer applicants may also be a relative of a deceased farmer, who have chosen to plant inherited land instead of continuing to farm.
|
Year |
Farmer |
Non-farmer |
Total |
|
2015 |
852 |
130 |
982 |
|
2016 |
652 |
357 |
1,009 |
|
2017 |
536 |
353 |
889 |
|
2018 |
309 |
315 |
624 |
|
2019 |
206 |
293 |
499 |
|
2020 |
100 |
261 |
361 |
In terms of GLAS, applicants had the option of choosing parcels for GLAS and also the opportunity to join the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme on other parcels. The GLAS terms and conditions outline that afforestation is fully compatible with GLAS and is recognised as contributing to the creation of a valuable landscape mosaic at farm-level. The Scheme also had the “Planting a Grove of Native Trees” action which has been chosen by over 3,600 farmers and resulted in the planting of over 1.5 million trees.
I am anxious that farmers re-engage with forestry and acknowledge that current licensing difficulties are likely a contributory factor in terms of reduced interest. This is a priority issue for me and my Department and is being dealt under Project Woodland. Furthermore the Department is working to ensure that there is integration between Agri-Environment schemes in CAP and the new Forestry Programme. It is intended that tree planting measures will form part of the new Agri-Environment schemes. The transitional REAP scheme (a results-based payment approach for grasslands) has, for instance, complementary tree-planting actions.
