Benefits of converting land to forestry

OVER the past twenty-five years 23,000 landowners (83% farmers) have converted some of their land to forestry, creating a sustainable and complementary farm resource.

Well planned and sustainably managed forests can provide commercial environmentaland recreational opportunities. There are many attractive planting options and models available for farmersand landowners, each with significant potential to deliver according to specific needs.

As well as providing a resource to protect and enhance the local environment, forestry has a significant role to play in enhancing farm viability, optimising the use of marginal land, facilitating tax efficiency and assisting in retirement planning. Farm Income.

There are clear opportunities for trees and forests work very well as part of the farming mix.

Forestry can complement drystock, dairying, tillage and other enterprises to the overall benefit of the farm.It provides a highly productive land use option for marginal land, fragmented parcels or outfarms; creating a valuable growing asset for the future. Research by Teagasc shows that significant gains from planting may be generated on marginal land.

Planting eight ha of 15% diverse conifer/broadleaf forest on marginal land delivers an annual forestry premium of over €4,000 for 15 years. The potential payment can increase to over €5,300 per annum if planting of Native Woodland meets the landowner’s objectives. By meeting the required criteria, the Basic Payment can also be retainedon the planted land and the forest is appreciating in value as the tree develop. Realising Carbon Benefits.

Forests are effective at mitigating climate change through sequestration of carbon by tree growth and carbon storage in soils, tree stems, roots and ground litter. Carbon sequestration by forestscan improve farm sustainabilitywhile also contributing to our future national abatement effort. Ireland has the potential to play a significant role in mitigating climate change through the management of current forest and the establishment of new forests.

These new forests can embrace the positive benefits associated with both fast and slower growing trees to sequester carbon, provide jobs to rural communities, provide income for farmers and create new sheltered habitats for animals and plants.

For more information on the many benefit delivered by a farm forest, contact your local Teagasc forestry advisor.