Native tree area Scheme: 1Ha Planting Mix and layout

thebigmc

Interested to hear thoughts for this scheme as I have very little forestry knowledge: https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/grants/native-tree-area-scheme/

The 2 main queries I have are:

What effect will the 3x3m large spacing have on the tree growth? If trying to grow straight oak for timber for example, does this spacing make it more challenging?

The planting mixture below says +-25% on the scenario, I read this to mean just 5% of the prescribed 30% Oak/Birch are required so the 25% variance can be made up from any native species? So could be 80% oak, 5% Birch, 15% others, if for example you wanted mainly oak.

Suggestions for what would be a good companion/nursing plant to a mainly oak forest at the 3x3 spacing?

OrangeBadger

The scheme is pretty **** at the moment and will have very few people participating.

n1st

I'm very interested but it does clash with Organic and ACRES.

I've learned now that BISS is unaffected.

I'm trying Agroforestry Silvopasture instead. Very little conflict there.

thebigmc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429674#Comment_121429674

Why do you think that?

thebigmc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121430083#Comment_121430083

Sounds good, the agroforestry grants seem to be more involved as a full aforestry licence is required, and takes twice as long to draw down the premiums. But that would be the only option if you are you going to plant over a hectare I understand?

Johnny pesco

I was going to start a seperate thread asking this question, but may aswell ask it here.

Is it possible to apply for NTA1 and NTA2 on the same plot of land and upto 2 hectares, or would it still have to be 1 hectare maximum?

$kilkenny

You can apply for an NTA 2 along by a watercourse and have an NTA 1 right beside it.

Not the same land but side by side and let them run into each other with no fence.

So technically yes you can have 2 hectares with 1 hectare of each side by side.

Gautama

I’m thinking of participating in this too. 

To the OP, you mention “timber”. But this is strictly for permanently increasing woodland coverage for carbon capture. Not for timber forestry. 

Plus, 1 hectare on its own is probably going to cost more to harvest than the timber is worth (I nearly had this experience in the past).

80% oak would not be remotely possible. 

30% oak is the stated percentage. +/- 25% gives a range of 5-55% (if I’m understanding this correctly.)

One hectare of NTA1 along with one hectare of NTA2, but the annual payment is limited to €2,200. So that’s what you’ll get, not €4,400.

Gautama

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429674#Comment_121429674

I don’t think this is aimed at anyone wanting to make money, not in the way money can be made from planting acres of Sitka spruce on farmland.

I think this is aimed at landowners that would like to have a small plantation of trees for the sake of the environment and/or the love of trees. And the grant makes that possible without losing money.

A max of €2,200 per annum for 10 years really is chickenfeed.

€2,200 in 2034… what’ll that get you?

Rover365

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121558176#Comment_121558176

Where are you seeing that that the annual payment is limited to €2,200?

Gautama

Here…

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/grants/native-tree-area-scheme/

… and in the .pdf

The NTA is between 0.1 and 1.0 hectare.

The Annual Premium Payment is €2,200 per hectare.

Therefore the range is €220 to €2,200 per annum.

Rover365

''The extent of the area that can be created under this Scheme is limited to 2 hectares per farm holding for the duration of the scheme'' Table 3 pf pdf

As you can combine NTA1 & 2, I read it that you can claim both. I dont see anything limiting it to €2,200. Will fillow up with them to confirm

Gautama

My understanding is you can do both but only claim for one.

However, when I was reading the .pdf the kids were very loud and annoying (to the extent that I’ll try reading it again when they’re back to school) so I may well have misunderstood.

Gautama

I get the impression that for this NTA scheme, the most straightforward approach is to contact a contractor, and they’ll do all the work for you and claim the initial grants. Then the landowner just gets the annual payments.

Obviously, there are other ways of doing it, but with a contractor you’ve zero worries that it’s done as specified.

$kilkenny

You can claim €2,200 on NTA1 and €2,200 on NTA2 so technically €4,400 per annum for 10 years.

It's just very difficult to get a full hectare for NTA 2 because it only qualifies for land that's within 26m of a stream, river or water course.

But before you get your heart set on planting an NTA1 or 2 you need to get it looked at on the land eligibility map. Alot of land is not eligible for the scheme, its a black and white system, the land is either in or out.

I have access to check if anyone wants to check if there plot of land is eligible, only registered foresters have access.

Engaging a forester is the easiest way to do it, the application has to be submitted by a forester anyway and then they organise all that's needed from materials to men and get it planted, fenced etc and then it's up to them to maintain it for 4 years.

But it does help to have an idea what's going on, more so with the layout of your mini 1ha forest, as in where you want groups of oak, pine etc. Add a personal spin on it and it might become useful as an amenity area for family events or walking in the future.

Cran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571719#Comment_121571719

Anyone look into this scheme and see if any contractors working on it, first forester I spoke with will only do the plan not the entire planting.

$kilkenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121630167#Comment_121630167

Where you based Cran?

I can do the plan or applications if needed but I also do most of the contractor work myself.

Cran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121631321#Comment_121631321

Carlow, hope it wasn’t you I was talking to 😂

G-Man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121580736#Comment_121580736

Whats the system to access if land is eligibile for forestry. Is it possible to get access to that information before offering to by some potential forestry land.

$kilkenny

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121863043#Comment_121863043

If you send me a map or co ordinates of the field you are thinking of planting I can check it out using my forestry account with the department.

Registered foresters would have access to this information.

I can see if it's eligible and let you know. I have a few to check for people so it will only take a few minutes when I'm doing it next.

jfh

Anyone else get approved for this scheme, I contacted a forestor in January who made the application on my behalf but still not approved, too late to plant trees now, how does it take so long

thebigmc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122013583#Comment_122013583

I got approved, changed our application and reapplied, and got the trees planted late this March. A good forester is a big help. But we did end up having to pay the forester an additional 500euro as the grant didnt cover enough fencing.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058323486/native-tree-area-scheme-1ha-planting-mix-and-layout

I was incorrect in my interpretation 25%+- on the tree mix. It's only +-25% of the 30%, so could not possibly go up to 80% oak.