Forestry in close proximity to residential property

Mr Yellow

As per the heading, is there a planning regulaton of somekind with relation to Forestry being in close proximity to a residential property?? I have a family member living in a heavily forested area& with the amount of fires occurring recently, it got me thinking!

Could not find anything on coillte website!

Any one shed some light please?

Casinoking

None as far as I know, forestry is regarded as a crop just like any other so no special conditions apply.

Mr Yellow

Interesting if thats the case! With the weather being so dry & suitable to forest fires, i wonder what stance would someone have demanding forestry within a certain distance be culled?

I just remembered when i was in Australia. A guy cut down all the trees around his property only to get fined. When the bushfires came, his house survived!

- A family in Australia saw the threat, decided on civil disobedience, cleared a firebreak, and got fined $50,000. They feel vindicated now, because their house is one of the few in Reedy Creek, Victoria, still standing, the only one in a two kilometer radius. Good for them.

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/02/11/weve-lost-two-people-in-my-family-because-you-dickheads-wont-cut-trees-down/

Ford4000

No it wont be 'felled' not 'culled' there trees not animals, coillte would have maintained the proper distance at time of planting. As regards demanding ? not a great approach to ever take with a state department.

Claasman

Depends what was there first i suppose. We put some land into forestry this year, there were some dwelling houses near, they can request a distance you have to keep from them when planting.

Mr Yellow

Forestry has been there quite a while, I believe the trees are relatvely mature. A number of new residential homes have been built alongside such plantations in recent years. Im sure insurance companies would not be too happy to have properties in close proximity to such forests!

Thansk for the replies

Ford4000- appreciate the grammar cleanup

Caoimhín

Any new forests planted since about 1995 have to be 60 metres from the gable of any building, 30 metres if the building owner gives permission.

There isn't much can be done if it is older than 15 - 20 years, but any replanting has to be 30/60 metres.

There isn't really a threat as most forest fires in Ireland are ground level fires ie the vegetation and dead branches burn, it is very rare to have a canopy fire, therefore unless the trees are right beside the building there is little chance of damage.

If you are really concerned, get in contact with the owner and ask permission to remove the trees to a safer distance. If the trees belong to Coillte of one of the investment companies im sure they wouldn't have a problem as the edge trees in a forest are rarely have any commercial value.

Rovi

Caoimhín wrote: »

If you are really concerned, get in contact with the owner and ask permission to remove the trees to a safer distance. If the trees belong to Coillte of one of the investment companies im sure they wouldn't have a problem as the edge trees in a forest are rarely have any commercial value.

If the forest is subject to any of the Afforestation Grant or Premium Schemes, all future payments on the area removed will be lost and the Forest Service will be reclaiming all premiums and grants paid on it to date.
A Limited or General Felling Licence will also be required.

Caoimhín

Rovi wrote: »

If the forest is subject to any of the Afforestation Grant or Premium Schemes, all future payments on the area removed will be lost and the Forest Service will be reclaiming all premiums and grants paid on it to date.
.

Not at all true Rovi, that is only the case if the land removed is changed to a different land use, ie; building a house on it or fencing it off and grazing livestock on it. Simply felling the trees from near a house would not mean having to repay grants or premiums.

The owner of the trees would indeed need a felling licence.

Rovi

Are you certain?
I ask because the ESB recently ran a new line of poles alongside a part of my forestry and they're saying that they'll be removing a 10 meter strip of trees in due course, and the Forest Service are making noises to me about pro rata reducing the payments and wanting the establishment grants and previously paid premiums back.

In fairness, the ESB are willing to make recompense for the monies concerned, we're just waiting for the Forest Service to come back with their 'bill'.

Caoimhín

Rovi wrote: »

Are you certain?
I ask because the ESB recently ran a new line of poles alongside a part of my forestry and they're saying that they'll be removing a 10 meter strip of trees in due course, and the Forest Service are making noises to me about pro rata reducing the payments and wanting the establishment grants and previously paid premiums back.

In fairness, the ESB are willing to make recompense for the monies concerned, we're just waiting for the Forest Service to come back with their 'bill'.

Im positive Rovi, im a consultant forester. The ESB is a different matter, the Forest Service considers that as "unplantable land" where as they positively encourage a certain amount (15%) of open space as areas of bio-diversity enhancement.