€1.3 billion in funding has been announced for the new Forestry Programme, which will offer grants and premiums for the planting of trees which will be between 46% and 66% higher than the previous rates.
The rates have increased for all 12 categories of forests, with the grant payment for native forests increasing to €6,744/ha, the broadleaf payment increasing to €4,314/ha and the agroforestry payment increasing to €8,555/ha.
The premium payments have also increased for these categories to €1,103/ha, €1,037/ha and €975/ha respectively.
In addition to this, it has been announced that the premium period has increased from 15 years to 20 years for farmers, under the programme.
The full breakdown of the new grant payment rates and premium rates can be viewed below:
The announcement was made today (November 3), by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister of State with responsibility for forestry Pippa Hackett, and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue.
The new Forestry Programme and its proposed funding will be the largest-ever government investment in the sector. It will be 100% exchequer funded and is now subject to state-aid approval by the European Commission.
Minister Hackett said that the new programme is built around the principle of “the right trees in the right places, for the right reasons, with the right management”.
“I’m delighted to have secured a package of €1.318 billion for forestry. This will support the biggest and best-funded Forestry Programme ever in Ireland,” she said.
“It comes at an appropriate time, given the urgency of taking climate mitigation measures. Planting trees is one of the most effective methods of tackling climate change as well as contributing to improved biodiversity and water quality.”
She added that a key goal of hers is to re-engage farmers in afforestation and that the increased number of premium years will help to achieve this.
“I am also introducing a new small-scale native woodland scheme which will allow farmers to plant up to 1ha of native woodland on farmland and along watercourses outside of the forestry licensing process,” she said.
Minister McConalogue also praised the new programme and said it will bring “a new and brighter future” for the sector and for the climate.
“Today we commit to providing unprecedented incentives to encourage the planting of trees that can provide a valuable addition to farm income and help to meet national climate and biodiversity objectives.
“This funding guarantees continued payments to those forest owners who planted under the current scheme and who are still in receipt of premiums,” he said.
The programme will now go out to public consultation, which remains open until November 29.