‘No plans’ for State to buy large tracts of mountain land for forests

Former Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue had no plans for the State to acquire large tracts of mountain land for forest creation.

The former minister said that he would continue to promote and encourage both private and public landowners to engage with forestry.

He was speaking in response to a parliamentary question from Dún Laoghaire TD Barry Ward, who asked if he would consider the acquisition of large tracts of mountain land, by the State, with a view to afforesting them, particularly with slow-growing, bio-diverse, indigenous, deciduous woodland.

The former minister pointed out that under the current forestry programme, there is a scheme specifically created to enable planting of new native woodlands on suitable publicly owned bare land.

“The afforestation scheme offers landowners a choice of 12 forest types, which cover a broad range of planting options including native woodland, continuous-cover forestry and emergent forests. It provides generous incentives to farmers in particular, to re-engage with forestry.

“These include increases in premium rates ranging from between 46% [and] 66%, along with a longer premium term of 20 years for farmers, compared to 15 years for non-farmers, across most forest types. These generous financial incentives are available to all landowners who successfully apply to the afforestation scheme,” he said.

Review

A mid-term review of the forestry programme is due to take place this year.

“I am acutely aware of the need to increase our levels of afforestation, but I am also conscious that this needs to be done in a legally compliant, environmentally sustainable and silviculturally appropriate manner and all applications will continue to be assessed individually,” the former minister said.