The many advantages of forestry

OVER the past 25 years, 23,000 landowners (83 per cent of 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, environmental and recreational opportunities. There are many attractive planting options and models available for farmers and landowners, each with significant potential to deliver 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.

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 out farms; creating a valuable growing asset for the future.

Research by Teagasc shows significant gains from planting may be generated on marginal land. Planting eight h/a of 15-percent 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 retained on the planted land and the forest is appreciating in value as the trees develop.

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 forests can improve farm sustainability while 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.

As well as these carbon benefits associated with forests, there are a number of other positive influences that trees can provide to the wider environment.

Forests can intercept vast amounts of rainfall and release it slowly through the soils providing infiltration into rivers or nearby groundwater. This can help surrounding plants and wildlife as a source of water for growth and photosynthesis. Absorbed water is also transpired into the atmosphere, where it can be carried by the wind to fall as rain in other locations.

Landowners play an essential role as custodians of the natural landscape and resources.

The recent Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine ‘Woodlands for Water’ publication explores the appropriate afforestation measures to create a resource that can help protect water quality. The establishment of new native woodlands combined with undisturbed water setbacks can deliver services that protect and enhance water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Even a limited area of woodland near watercourses (riparian woodland) can become a protective, enhancing and visually attractive resource on the farm, without reducing enterprise productivity.

All forests contribute significantly to biodiversity, both within their boundaries as corridors for wildlife and as refuges in the wider landscape.

Areas for Biodiversity Enhancement are incorporated into all new forests. They conserve existing habitats and biodiversity features while promoting further diversity.

A minimum of 15-per-cent broadleaf component is also required on all new planting sites along with up to a further 15 per cent retained for biodiversity enhancement.

Forest management planning also affords the opportunity to enhance future biodiversity in our forests, to provide benefits to society and additional income to farmers or land owners.

Forestry is a sustainable option for marginal and fragmented land offering economic, environmental and societal benefits

Forest design, scale and good management are critical to maximising crop quality, timber value and environmental contribution

Forest establishment grants cover the cost of planting and offer a secure long term income for the subsequent 15 years through annual premiums

For more information on the many benefits delivered by a farm forest, contact this writer, Jonathan Spazzi, at (087) 710 2739, or alternatively log on to the informative Teagasc website, www.teagasc.ie/forestry.