‘We are not targeting Leitrim for forestry’

Minister says planting trees is down to landowners’ individual choices

FORESTRY Minister Andrew Doyle insists that the Government are not targeting Leitrim in the drive to increase planting amid growing opposition to afforestation in the county.

Mr Doyle told the Farming Independent that it’s the landowners’ choice to plant forestry.

“The Department doesn’t plant any trees. The Department approves applications so landowners make the choice. This afforestation programme is a national programme, it’s not a regional or a county select programme,” he said.

“It’s a programme for the country but people make choices. There are options out there, we are not trying to target Leitrim, we don’t plant any trees and we only approve applications.”

Veon sales director Joe Codd also added that the forestry programme is voluntary and from speaking with local farmers he doesn’t feel that the Government is “zoning in on Leitrim.”

“We’re based in Leitrim and from talking to local farmers it’s their own decision. It’s voluntary and not forced. The Government are not zoning in on Leitrim. Farmers who are struggling to make a living on cattle or sheep farming are more than happy to take it up. It is another type of farming,” said the commercial forester.

However, INHFA forestry chair Gerry Loftus said that “communities will be wiped out” and that the future of the suckler cow and hill sheep farming is being put under threat as a result of increased planting in the county.

“The reality of it is that Leitrim is covered in trees. Communities will be wiped out. We’ve a great fear that Leitrim is being targeted by forestry and in order to accommodate forestry we envisage a 60-70pc decline in the suckler cow and 50pc decline in hill sheep in the years to come,” he said. Last week, the mid-term review of the government’s 2012-2020 Forestry programme showed that the programme was down 22pc on its 2017 target and 7pc down on targets for the last three years. While Mr Loftus said that “Ireland hasn’t a hope of meeting forestry targets”, Minister Doyle hopes that increased premium and grant rates will encourage more to enter forestry.

“One key point is that forestry is worth €2.3bn a year and 12,000 jobs. We see it as complementary to many farmers enterprises not in competition with it.

Remote land

“If 20pc of your poorer, more remote land, can be used in a way that helps it fund the improvement of the other 80pc, give it serious consideration,” said Mr Doyle.

Some of the measures introduced in the review include an emphasis on broadleaves to ensure every plantation increases by 15pc instead of 10pc and a 7pc increase in broadleaf and diverse conifer grants. Mr Codd is hopeful that there will be an increased uptake as a result of increased payments.

“You can get €275/ac if you plant oakwood and getting that out of any other farming bar dairy is very difficult at the moment,” he said.