Teige Ryan, like other forestry stakeholders, looks forward to the implementation of the Mackinnon review as promised in the programme for government. He outlines how Jim Mackinnon, author of the review, has already had a positive impact on None-so-Hardy Nurseries’ survival, but not in the way he intended.

Teige Ryan and John Kavanagh in the birch seed orchard, which is one of the species in the nursery's tree improvement Programme. \ Donal Magner

The implementation of Mackinnon in Scotland resulted in an upsurge in annual afforestation from 4,600ha to 11,200ha last year, with 15,000ha planned for 2024.

During this period, annual afforestation in Ireland dramatically declined, from 6,500ha to less than 3,000ha this year.

So, None-so-Hardy decided to explore the Scottish market as the nursery infrastructure, developed over 35 years, was placed at risk.

“Failing to reach 3,000ha of afforestation this year has huge consequences for None-so-Hardy, as plants produced over a three-year cycle are specifically grown to meet the programme for government target of 8,000ha,” Ryan explains.

Plant demand

None-so-Hardy is the main supplier of plants, especially native broadleaves, to the private sector.

“The increased demand for plants in reforestation sites has been an important outlet, but the upsurge of afforestation in Scotland has enabled us to export millions of plants, which otherwise would have been destroyed,” he says.

Our nurseries would not have survived without the impact of this report in Scotland

The success in Scotland can be attributed to the Mackinnon report, which streamlined the administrative procedures and created an efficient approval system.

“Our nurseries would not have survived without the impact of this report in Scotland. The implementation of the Mackinnon review of Irish forestry is now crucial if we are to recover,” Ryan says.

Nursery production

None-so-Hardy production remains aligned with the Government’s annual planting targets of 8,000ha.

“Over 40% of the plants for the Irish programme are native species, with other broadleaves such as sycamore and beech accounting for 10%,” he says.

“Sitka Spruce, the backbone of the industry, is the enabler for broadleaf planting.

“The high level of broadleaf planting is achievable because of the financial returns for Sitka and Norway spruce, which combined, make up almost 50% of our nursery crops.”

Seed sources

When the Irish Farmers Journal visited None-so-Hardy recently, some nursery staff were busy lining out seedlings, while others were gathering wild cherry seed and identifying areas for collecting rowan berries.

“Later on, we aim to collect at least 1t of thorn berries and up to 10t of oak acorns,” says Ryan. “Seeds for other species, such as alder and Scots pine, are from registered orchards, with sycamore and birch coming from our own on-site orchards, established using material from the Teagasc tree breeding programme.”

The Department should fully recognise the long-term ecosystem services provided by these species

He says this improved stock will ensure the best material is going to the planting site and forest owners will have quality crops in the future: “The Department should fully recognise the long-term ecosystem services provided by these species, along with areas of biodiversity enhancement.”

Department outlines plan for processing forestry licences

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has outlined a “project plan for the processing of forestry licences”, which aims to speed up afforestation, felling and roading licences. It includes a “project management” structure, established with a dedicated project manager and reporting to a project management board chaired by the Department assistant secretary general.

The board will include “heads of division for the forestry inspectorate” and Fehily Timoney, the civil and environmental engineering, scientific and planning consultancy. There is no mention at this stage of representation on the board from the private forestry and forest products sector.

Performance indicators

The role of the board includes project oversight and strategy, overall business process, design and reviewing output or key performance indicators (KPIs). Implementation of the Mackinnon review, which was critical of the performance of KPIs in the past, has not been revealed at this stage. Mackinnon stated KPIs should be focused “on actions which will improve the speed of decision-making on afforestation licences and related permissions”.

However, the project plan contains milestones including increasing monthly output of files referred to ecology from 20 files currently to 200 by next November.

Thirteen permanent forestry inspectors will be recruited for work in the licensing area

To achieve project plan objectives, the Department plans to recruit staff to deal with the backlog of licences, including four temporary forestry inspectors, six permanent ecologists – three already in place – and five contract ecologists from Fehily Timoney. Thirteen permanent forestry inspectors will be recruited for work in the licensing area.

Natura Impact Statements

The Department proposes “an immediate focus on felling licences over the next five to six weeks”, as well as planning to prioritise larger files.

“This approach is biased against small-scale licence applications,” a forestry company spokesperson said, “especially as the Department also plans to prioritise applications with Natura Impact Statements (NISs) or where NISs will be provided.”

The Department must undertake “screening” to assess if there is a possibility of a proposed forestry project having an impact on a Natura site within a 15km radius. An NIS is required to measure the effect of forestry on Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) over a 273 square-mile area, which is more than half the size of Co Monaghan.

This cost is proving prohibitive for applicants, especially those with small areas for planting or harvesting

That mixed species planting projects averaging 7ha in Ireland are subject to NISs at all is “turning farmers and forestry companies away from afforestation”, the spokesperson said. The cost of an NIS varies between €1,300 and €1,500 and is not covered by grants. “This cost is proving prohibitive for applicants, especially those with small areas for planting or harvesting,” maintained the forest spokesperson.

“Landowners are not prepared to incur such a cost, especially as there is no guarantee that the application will be successful.”