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So how does the forestry payments scheme work?

  • 06-09-2023 05:14PM
    #1
    mrcheez
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,267 ✭✭✭✭


    I have a few hectares of land that could be used for forestry and I heard on the radio about the new forestry scheme.

    I assumed the grant was simply there to pay for the planting, but do you also receive a payment for keeping the trees on your land?



Comments

  • #2
    ofearghp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20 ✭ofearghp


    They pay for the planting, which includes forester cost, contractors, the actual trees, and fencing. If you have deer locally they will pay for a deer fence depending on the forest type.

    They then pay you a premium for 20 years if you're a farmer, or 15 if non farmer. https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/grants/overview-of-forest-establishment-grant-rates/

    If you only want to plant 1HA, this could be an option as there is no long applictaion process and you get the money twice as fast: https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/grants/native-tree-area-scheme/

    Once forestry is established it needs to be there forever, ie if you clearfell you replant. Forest is defined as 20% cover where trees are over 5ms. Agroforestry is an option for that low level for example.



  • #3
    mrcheez
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,267 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Thanks... do we get someone out to inspect the land first to check suitability ?



  • #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121086428#Comment_121086428

    You have to find a registered forester to inspect and do the planning and paperwork.

    https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/205869-list-of-registered-foresters/




  • #5
    littlevillage
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,630 ✭✭✭littlevillage


    (Sorry for resurrecting a zombie thread)

    A newbie here thinking about planting some forestry on some outlying land. I have a few high level questions (I know there are tonnes of documents on the Internet with more details)

    • Does the initial grant just cover the forestry contractors work eg. Land survey, Application paperwork, planting etc. and the only money the farmer sees is the yearly premiums? (until harvesting)

    • Are they still strict about planting on peaty land ?

    • What are the options in terms of what types of trees you can plant nowadays and what are the differences in premiums and timescales for harvesting (a high level summary would be great) and of course what is the predicted price for the crop

    • Once the crop is harvested what then with the land ?


  • #6
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,833 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    I'll have a go at answering these, but each site is looked at individually.

    • Does the initial grant just cover the forestry contractors work eg. Land survey, Application paperwork, planting etc. and the only money the farmer sees is the yearly premiums? (until harvesting)

    On a difficult site the planting contractor might want some of the early forest premiums as well as the establishment grant.

    • Are they still strict about planting on peaty land ?

    AFAIK we can't plant on peaty soil.

    • What are the options in terms of what types of trees you can plant nowadays and what are the differences in premiums and timescales for harvesting (a high level summary would be great) and of course what is the predicted price for the crop

    I think we have to plant a min of 25% native species, therefore a max of 75% spruce.

    15 years of premium, I think it might be 5 for agroforestry.

    First thinings at about year 20, but you'd be lucky to have €100/acre if you are getting a contractor to do everything, clear felling at about year 35 for spruce, ballpark maybe €10-15k an acre, but there's an awful lot of variables involved. After clear felling the land owner has to pay for replanting.

    Have a look at agro forestry in teagasc website, it might be a better option.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



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  • #7
    littlevillage
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,630 ✭✭✭littlevillage


    @blue5000 thanks very much for those answers, that's exactly the kind of high level summary answers I was looking for. Fair play for taking the time.

    A few other things.

    I am an active farmer soo would get 20 years of premiums right?

    I didn't realise that Spruce takes 35 years to mature (I thought 20 or 25yrs).

    I am 52yrs old and have no family to realistically inherit from me, soo my plan would now have to be to get the 20 years of premiums and then depending on my circumstances, maybe sell the land with the forestry in situ. I see that being discussed in other threads. Does that seem feasible?



  • #8
    timmyntc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,603 ✭✭✭timmyntc


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123111178#Comment_123111178

    FYI land value of ag land is usually much lower if it's planted because of the obligation to replant (forestry land remains as forestry forever).

    If it's just income you're after it's probably better to rent land out to farmers, and then you can still sell up at retirement and land will likely be worth more.



  • #9
    littlevillage
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,630 ✭✭✭littlevillage


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123111225#Comment_123111225

    Thats interesting regarding the value of land under forestry. Soo even the fact that there is a valuable crop of trees growing in the field its value is less than if it was pasture (because of the requirement for it to be re-planted in the future after clear felling).

    This is a bit of whataboutery now... but how is the re-planting requirement enforced? Is it part of the clear felling contract? or is it a case of as long as you never try to get grants again for that land, the Government will be non the wiser of whether its replanted or not



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