The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has welcomed a new scheme to help restore forestry damaged by frost but said that it must be expanded.
The IFA has said that the new Reconstitution for Woodland (Frost) scheme is now open to forestry owners who planted trees between November 1, 2017 and June 1, 2021.
In a statement, the group explained that for owners to qualify for the scheme conifer plantations will need to have sustained a minimum of 30% in damage due to frost.
The IFA outlined that the cost-based scheme would see grants of up to €850/ha for conifer forestry.
In the case of broadleaf plantations, the IFA said that payments would be capped at €1,180/ha, but noted that these forests must have experienced more than 50% in frost damage.
Forestry
Although, the chair of the IFA Forestry Committee, Vincent Nally welcomed the scheme for young forests, he said that it needs to include all plantations established since 2015.
“IFA has been seeking such a scheme to support forest owners affected by frost events since 2020. It will be a huge relief to affected forest owners, but the minister has to extend the eligibility to include forest owners who planted since 2015,” Nally said.
Nally explained that said that some forestry owners who planted in 2015 have suffered the same level of damage as those that have established plantations since November 2017.
He said that “frost events” had taken place during the month of May in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The IFA Forestry chair said that this affected young forests “both through direct mortality as well as by damaging apical shoots of young trees”.
“I would encourage all private forest owners affected to talk with their foresters and make an application under the scheme. The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, April 29, 2022,” Nally concluded.