Questions on forestry grants

fpm

Hi all,

My wife and I have recently purchased a 3.5 acre site, which we intend to build a house on in the next 4-5 years. In the meantime, we would like to plant 1-1.5 acres of the site with native broadleaf trees. Someone mentioned to us that we may be eligible for a grant. I know the planting area is small, but reading through the various documents on the forest service website, it seems that the minimum plot is 0.1 ha, so we meet that. I'm wondering if someone could advise me on the following:

1) Whilst there are options in the grant scheme for 'non-farmers', are you only eligible for a grant where you intend to generate an income from the woodland? We're not intending on cutting it down, we're planting it purely for environmental reasons.

2) I understand that any grant application is made through a 'registered forester', who seem to handle the application paperwork etc. Obviously they will charge a fee for this - is the grant only for covering the costs of the trees, or can it be used against the cost of engaging the forester?

3) Related to the above - are the foresters regulated in any way, or are they just private, competing companies. i.e., will their cost for handling my application vary from forester to forester?

Thanks in advance for any help!

blue5000

fpm wrote: »

Hi all,

My wife and I have recently purchased a 3.5 acre site, which we intend to build a house on in the next 4-5 years. In the meantime, we would like to plant 1-1.5 acres of the site with native broadleaf trees. Someone mentioned to us that we may be eligible for a grant. I know the planting area is small, but reading through the various documents on the forest service website, it seems that the minimum plot is 0.1 ha, so we meet that. I'm wondering if someone could advise me on the following:

1) Whilst there are options in the grant scheme for 'non-farmers', are you only eligible for a grant where you intend to generate an income from the woodland? We're not intending on cutting it down, we're planting it purely for environmental reasons.

2) I understand that any grant application is made through a 'registered forester', who seem to handle the application paperwork etc. Obviously they will charge a fee for this - is the grant only for covering the costs of the trees, or can it be used against the cost of engaging the forester?

3) Related to the above - are the foresters regulated in any way, or are they just private, competing companies. i.e., will their cost for handling my application vary from forester to forester?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Your bigest problem in getting a grant on a small site is the minimum width, I think it has to be 40m min.

The grant should cover all the costs of establishment, however if you're not a farmer (no herd/flock number) the grant rates will be lower. Technically the grants are supposed to compensate the farmer for loss of earnings while the trees are growing.

Don't know if the foresters are regulated, go for some of the bigger established companies eg Greenbelt, lots of other links here too

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054994520

Caoimhín

fpm wrote: »

3) Related to the above - are the foresters regulated in any way, or are they just private, competing companies. i.e., will their cost for handling my application vary from forester to forester?

Any forester who is qualified to do the paperwork is insured and registered with the Department of Agri/Forest Service and accredited by the Society of Irish Foresters.

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/forestservicegeneralinformation/
(List of registered foresters near the bottom of the links)

http://www.societyofirishforesters.ie/

greenfingers89

fpm wrote: »

Hi all,

3.5 acre site,
we would like to plant 1-1.5 acres of the site with native broadleaf trees.

1) only eligible for a grant where you intend to generate an income from the woodland? We're not intending on cutting it down.

2) is the grant only for covering the costs of the trees, or can it be used against the cost of engaging the forester?

3) Related to the above - are the foresters regulated in any way

firstly, if the site isnt suitable for native broadleaves then you wont be granted permission, the grants are there to produce a commercial crop. as long as you dont mention you are never going to cut it down you should be fine, nobody will come along in 15 years time to see if you are beginning to harvest or anything like that..........if you are questioned by the department inspector then just say you are looking to produce firewood for yourself and possibly some furniture lengths for local supply (more than likely you will end up cutting some trees anyway as this is best practice regardless of environmental objectives)

you need to bear in mind the reccommended setback from buildings, this is 60m (approx 200 ft) and the absolute minimum reccomended is 30m.......was also mentioned about minimum width which is correct. even though the building isnt there you should allow for where it is going to be built.

i'd have serious doubts about the grant covering all the costs as was mentioned, it will be very difficult due to the small area......all applications regardless of size require a certain amount of time therefore the forester/forestry company may ask for a contribution from you......other issue that could arise is fencing, the allowable fencing under the grant scheme is approx 100m/hectare planted (1 hectare is 2.5 acres) so if you have alot of fencing required to enclose the trees then there may be extra costs that the forestry company may not cover.

as was mentioned above there are controls in place on foresters having insurance etc.

some department inspectors may refuse an area this small giving a reason of "area of site is not suitable for commercial production"....i have had 2 cases of this, department inspectors have the ability to turn down whatever they like and it can be difficult to get their decisions overturned.

what county is the land in? you may be lucky with your inspector

im not trying to put you off, your site may be feasable without too much extra costs....best thing you can do is ring a company and they will generally call out within a few days to have a look, this wont cost you anything........pick their brains when they are there and get their assessment. theres only so much can be said on boards by us without looking at the site

fpm

Thanks for all the advice.

Unfortunately it looks like the minimum width bit would rule me out, I hadn't seen that noted anywhere until it was mentioned here, but I've subsequently found it in some of the docs online. One of my plots would be probably be OK, but the other would not, and I think it is likely to be more hassle than it's worth applying for the grant for just one of the plots, given the size.

Ah well, it was just a thought anyhew...better start saving!

Thanks again.