How long for a felling license.

Easten

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118534516#Comment_118534516

Its on the side bar, you can select map type, felling licenses and other filters

blue5000

So had the forester out for a look last October, paid them 350 didn’t hear anything from dept so got in touch a week ago, application not even gone in. They got it in since, got a letter from Jownstown castle looking for €20 registration fee. Can’t blame Johnstown castle for all the delays with a felling licence. Now we wait……

I really think farmers should be allowed do there own application form for a felling licence. At least you would know it was gone in to the department.

Mollydog123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119231195#Comment_119231195

Talking to my forester last week. Took me 3 years to get the thinning license but the problem is there's been a lot of growth in those 3 years and it could be better to just go for Clear-fell. Seemingly you can get a combo clear-fell and thinning license now so you dont have to apply 2 times. He was saying there is a problem getting machines as a lot sold there machines with the delay in the thinning licenses.

blue5000

I think a 10 year licence is what you get, covers most of the thinning operations. How old are your trees?

Mollydog123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119289062#Comment_119289062

30 years old. Have grown well.

Get your TDS to ask parliamentary questions, repeatedly. Felling license number and name. Copy it to Martin and Varadkar. PQs have to be answered and it highlights the laziness and truculence and deliberate attempts to break the private sector by DAFM.

You might be happy to hear that Inspector Kark Coggins is the Inspector who solely manages Coilltes licensing, and he processes them very quickly. He's smart and capable, unlike inspectors Collins and Dunne who'd give Laurel and Hardy a run for their money.

blue5000

I was at a conifer event a couple of weeks ago, got talking to a few people and the big delay seems to be ecological reports needed if your forestry is anywhere near an SAC or hen harrier area etc. etc.

Hen harriers actually hunt over newly planted conifers before it closes in, it’s good habitat for them. I see a good few nests in my Norway spruce trees, someone needs to tell city people that there is wildlife in conifer forests.

There’s lots of fungi in there too.

timfromtang

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119853009#Comment_119853009

According to our local forestry inspector (a sound lad I met during a recent knowledge transfer thing for forest owners)

The license issue is largely getting back to normal, from just one ecologist they have hired an extra 31, and licenses are now being turned around in a reasonable length of time. There are however a number of delayed applications in the system and a backlog that is still being cleared.

tim

blue5000

Got my 10 yr thinning licence, reading through it I see the forester omitted Sitka altogether, Jesus wept. They're probably the most advanced and will need thinning first.

tabby aspreme

How long did it take to get the application, Blue

blue5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119981761#Comment_119981761

Wasn't actually that long in the end, about 4 and a half months from the time the application went in. I think what helped it was that there's no SAC or hen harrier areas near us. Forester was surprised that it came through fairly fast. It's a 10 year one. I presume you mean licence, not application.

Other people have said that things have improved this year.

ppn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994549#Comment_119994549

Waited over 4 years for a Felling Licence for 1st Thinning received in late Summer 2022, by which time I needed to change application to add Clearfell. The system is a complete joke and I believe the Dept is closed for Forest Road applications now, I could be wrong, but they are not sure themselves. Of course, there was none of this red tape when the forest was originally planted.

893bet

Applied last June/July ish and got approval this week.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119853266#Comment_119853266

The sooner DAFM gives a justification for the 15k zoning for ecological reports the better. It's NOT a court ruling. It was picked without any thought or consultation or planning by the technical leadership of DAFM. Unanswerable and unaccountable public servants.

I must say the contradictions in the description of DAFM staff are hilarious. No leadership and a lack of service.

We have the worst forestry minister since the foundation of the state. There is no planting program in place for the first time in the history of the state. 74ha of new planting this year-DAFM will try to bump it up by adding replanting areas to the overall figure. Her priorities are nepotism and star-****. As for the Inspectorate, they personify incompetence at its most egregious.

Of course, Coillte has its own dedicated DAFM Inspector to push its licenses through. Part of Asst Sec. Colm Hayes plan to get rid of private sector forest owners and allow Coillte only to produce timber.

I have it on good authority from a DI that DAFM is NOT investigating unlicensed clearfells or unauthorized road building. So much for environmental protection rules.

Jonnyc135

Can a felling license be changed once granted, ie. change of replanting obligation type

_Brian

How about approval to plant. How long is that taking ??

endainoz

Hi folks, I have a smallish Sitka plantation which was planted in 2008, in assuming it's due for a thinning soon?

blue5000

15 years old so probably due to start getting the paperwork rolling. If you can prune the branches off in a line perpendicular to where you think the first rows of trees will be taken out. Makes life a lot easier for anyone to inspect what you have.