Forestry grant opens to encourage farmers to plant new woodlands

THE Forest Service has announced the reopening of two forestry grant schemes, designed to support landowners to plant new woodlands for environmental and economic benefits.

Forest Service chief executive, John Joe O’Boyle, said that the ‘Forest Expansion Scheme’ and the ‘Small Woodland Grant Scheme’, which are now open, will ‘also help tackle climate change’.

“Planting new woodlands is widely recognised as having an important role in mitigating impacts of climate change,” he said. “The trees absorb carbon as they grow, and store it when the timber is processed into wood products, used, for example, in building construction.

“They can, therefore, play a part in helping us meet our net zero targets.

“Well-designed new woodlands also enhance the landscape, environment, create new habitats and support farm business sustainability and contribute to our ‘Forests for the Future’ project,” he added.

The Forest Expansion Scheme aims to encourage landowners to plant a wide range of sustainable new woodlands of three hectares and larger.

Some landowners may wish to establish woodlands to produce timber, primarily from conifer species, while others tend towards native woodland to enhance environmental and other characteristics of their holdings.

The Forest Expansion Scheme funds successful applicants for these woodland types at up to 100 per-cent of the establishment costs and annual premium payments for a 10-year period.

The ‘Small Woodland Grant Scheme’ is particularly-designed to support landowners to plant smaller scale new native woodlands that are at least 0.2 hectares in size.

The scheme funds planting of trees, new stock fencing where required, and annual premium payments for a 10-year period.

“In making their applications, I would urge landowners to engage early with Forest Service or their forestry agent who can provide advice and assistance on suitable forestry proposals that best meet their objectives,” Mr O’Boyle said.

Landowners who wish to plant this winter are reminded that all applications must be submitted to Forest Service before 3pm on Thursday, August 31. Early applications are encouraged.

Meanwhile, ‘Small Woodland Grant Scheme’ applications must be submitted through DAERA Online Services by 10pm on Thursday, August 31.

Further information including questions and answers is available from: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/ articles/daera-forestry-grants.

This includes a How To guide for the online Small Woodland Grant Scheme application. Alternatively, contact Forest Service on 028 6634 3019 or email: grants.forestservice@daera-ni.gov.uk

A list of Forestry Services and Suppliers that will help land owners to contact businesses for advice can be viewed at https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/list-forest-service-contractors-suppliers-northern-ireland

DAERA has launched Northern Ireland’s first ever consultation on carbon budgets, which set the maximum amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted in a given period. You can take part here: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/consultations/carbonbudget The 16-week consultation will run from 21 June to 11 October 2023.

Since ‘Forests for Our Future’ launched in 2020, landowners have planted 1,300 hectares of new woodland across Northern Ireland under forestry grant schemes support.