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The IFA forestry chair, Pat Collins, has strongly criticised the Forest Service for extending the planting season.
“The decision taken by the Forest Service to allow planting to continue goes completely against good forest practice,” Collins said.
Farmers who have financial approval to afforest to wait until the autumn to plant again.
With correct timing crucial in successfully establishing a plantation, the IFA forestry chief believes that poor returns will be seen as a result of the extension to the planting season.
“Planting during dry conditions should generally be avoided as poor survival rates can be expected from stressed plants.
“This means that a lot of plants that are currently being planted will fail and will have to be replanted,” he explained.
Poor planting programme
“The decision to continue planting had been influenced by the very poor planting programme in 2017.
“Only 2,000ha had been established so far this year, down 14% on this time last year,” he concluded.
The Roscommon native advised farmers who have financial approval to afforest to wait until the autumn to plant again.
Normally all planting had stopped at this stage, but the planting season had been extended this summer due to the introduction of the Forestry Regulation, which now requires farmers to erect a site notice.
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