Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 September 2022
647. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if harvesting lop and top or brash from forestry harvesting sites is permitted with the current standard for harvesting and replanting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44728/22]
View answerLop-and-top or brash are terms given to the side branches and tops of trees that are normally cut from the main stem and left on site during harvesting operations. There is no licence requirement if a landowner wishes to remove some of this material from a site.
The Department's 'Standards for Felling and Reforestation' specifies the use of brash in creating and maintaining dense mats of brash and branch wood on all machine routes, to avoid soil damage, erosion and sedimentation. Brash mats are typically concentrated on primary routes and in the junction of extraction paths and landing sites.
Removing lop on top or brash from site is not described in the Standards for felling and reforestation. Like any non licensed activities it is important that it is done in such a way that it does not interfere with the licence conditions being met. I understand lop and top or brash is sometimes removed from sites and used as a biomass for wood fuel. This should only be done on certain sites where the operation will not have any adverse effects on water quality.
