Minister of State with special responsibility for forestry, farm safety and horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae, recently visited the Teagasc ‘Woodland for Water’ planting measures at Moorepark.
These measures make up 3ha of native woodland established under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Maine (DAFM) Forestry Programme.
The area comprises woodland planting with an adjoining undisturbed water setback along the Funshion River in Moorepark, Co. Cork.
Speaking at Moorepark, Minister Healy-Rae said: “I very much welcome this Teagasc initiative to promote farm sustainability.
"I believe that the right tree in the right place, and managed sustainably, has the potential to contribute significantly to delivering the multiple environmental objectives that need to be achieved on all our farms.
"Forestry is a highly effective on-farm water protection measure, and the display here at Teagasc Moorepark is an excellent example of how forestry can help achieve water protection goals on farms.”
According to DAFM, as a woodland develops, it serves as an effective measure to break potential nutrient pathways (e.g., phosphates) from agricultural land to rivers.
DAFM also said that native trees "provide many co-benefits for Teagasc Moorepark, including biodiversity, landscape, aquatic and habitat connectivity services".
Minister Healy-Rae said: “This is an example of what can be achieved under the Forestry Programme.
"I would particularly urge farmers and other landowners to look at the Native Tree Area Scheme. This supports the creation of small native forests, as well as native riparian forests for water protection.
"This small-scale planting can be undertaken without the requirement for an afforestation licence and receives an attractive premium of over €22,000/ha over 10 years.”
DAFM operates a package of measures under the Forestry Programme 2023-2027, aimed specifically at promoting the proactive protection and expansion of Ireland’s native woodland resource.
The Native Woodland Conservation (NWC) scheme promotes the appropriate restoration of existing native woodland, through the provision of financial support to forest owners towards the cost of appropriate works.
The aim of the NWC scheme is to support the appropriate restoration of existing nativeforests in order to promote the protection and expansion of Ireland’s native treesresource and associated biodiversity.
According to DAFM, these measures, which include afforestation, emergent woodland, native woodland restoration, and reforestation with native woodland, represent a key biodiversity component within Ireland’s national forest policy.