This week, the 2017-18 forestry planting season was launched by the Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture Andrew Doyle.

In 2016, there was over 13,000 farmers in Ireland receiving a forestry payment, showing the importance of the sector to Irish farmers.

A total of 6,500ha was planted under the Afforestation Scheme in 2016 in the 12 planting categories.

The scheme is designed to suit all types of forestry. However, the most popular category by applicants planting in 2016 was the third category, the 10% diverse mix.

This category accounted for 5,123ha planted under the scheme. This plot is made up of a mixture of Sitka spruce or lodgepole pine and a suitable diverse conifer which must make up at least 10% of the mix.

The diverse species can be mixed throughout the forest or planted in groups throughout the forest. Annual premiums of €510/ha are paid on forests of category three for a duration of 15 years.

A total grant aid of €3,150/ha is available to farmers to establish this type of forestry on their land. A further payment of €350 to €500/ha can be allocated for fencing requirements associated with the forest. A different grant rate will apply depending on the type of fencing that will be erected.

The second most-popular option for farmers was the category four mix, with 555ha planted.

This category is comprised of conifer species including Norway spruce, lodgepole pine, Scots pine, corsican pine, European larch, douglas fir and western red cedar/coastal redwood. Sitka spruce cannot be used.

The category receives a grant aid up to €3,465/ha to establish the forest. Again, an additional allocation of between €350 and €500/ha can be obtained, depending on the type of fencing required. An annual premium of €560/ha is paid for a duration of 15 years.

The third most-popular choice was to plant an oak forest, with 353ha planted throughout 2016.

There was no land planted under agro-forestry, which is a system that combines forestry and pasture.

Under this system, grazing must be carried out by either sheep or young stock during the spring or summer months.

For native woodland establishment, scenarios one to three indicate that forest was planted in podzols, brown podzolics or brown earths, while scenario four applies to gley-type soils.