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INHFA spokesperson Gerry Loftus said that with the current state of play, the criteria of who receives such premiums are far too lenient.
“Currently, annual payments in excess of €600/ha can be received irrespective of where you live and who or what you are,” he said.
“The forestry expansion threatens the very fabric of rural life and unless radical changes are made to the premium and the establishment grant then this threat will become a distinct reality throughout western seaboard counties,” he explained.
Policy change
The INHFA chief went on to propose a policy whereby a farmer planting forestry should live within 50km of their plantation.
"We are proposing that the payment of any future premium and establishment grant for forestry would require that the recipient’s main residential residence is within 50km of the forestry site. For companies, this rule would also apply for their main headquarters," Loftus said.
"This would not impact on local farmers who wanted to plant some of their land, but it would eliminate companies and others coming to counties such as Leitrim and using that land potential as a carbon write-off at no cost to them but enormous cost to the local community,” he concluded.
Last year saw major controversy over this issue in Leitrim, where local livestock farmers were frustrated at what they described as an inability to financially compete with forestry plantations.
Climate change will change the way we use our land – Climate Council
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