Act now if you wish to plant in restricted areas

ACCORDING to Kieran Allman of SWS Forestry Services, if intending to plant land in the area south / south west of Killorglin almost as far as Kenmare and containing the Iveragh peninsula, a limited opportunity now exists to get necessary ground water samples taken which are required as part of the Afforestation Application process.

“The land in question has been designated by the EPA and the Forest Service as an area where the ground water is sensitive to acidification,” said Kieran. “In effect, what this means is that the soils in these particular areas are considered to have minimal buffering (neutralising) capacity to capture run of pollutants which conifer forests are deemed to generate (having absorbed such pollutants from the atmosphere).”

The water samples must be taken in for the four consecutive months of Feb, March, April and May in any given year, so if the February sample is missed, the process will be held up for a further 12 months. Kieran advises that SWS Forestry will take these samples and have them analysed as part of the Forestry Application process. Depending on the results, the forestry application can go ahead or not.

Kieran explains that it is not possible to know from looking at the ground or indeed the water samples whether the tests will pass or not so therefore the only way to be sure is to get the water samples analysed.

Since our establishment in 1986, SWS Forestry have grown to be one of the country’s leading forestry contracting companies. Today we manage over 36,000 hectares (over 89,000 acres) of forest for private landowners. We have the experience and expertise to ensure that an investment in forestry will be secure and provide the maximum return for the landowner.

For more information contact Kieran Allman at 087 2528330 or kieran.allman@swsforestry.ie