Latest news with #WoodlandImprovementScheme
Agriland
4 days ago
- Business
- Agriland
DAFM issued afforestation licences for 2,043ha in first 7 months
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued licences for 2,043ha of afforestation in the first seven months of 2025. The latest forestry data shows the department issued 267 afforestation licences by August 1, while 275 valid afforestation applications had been received. Some 1,775ha have been planted so far this year, with the highest amount of planting occuring in April (378ha). The department noted that the figures for afforestation planted in 2025 reflect afforestation that has been paid at first grant stage this year to date only, including the Native Tree Area Scheme (NTAS). Up to August 1, DAFM had issued 591 private felling licences, with 791 applications being submitted. There has been 201 felling licences issued for Coillte sites; the State-owned commercial forestry business has lodged 514 felling applications. Overall, the department has issued felling licences for 9,938ha so far this year. 376 licences have been granted for 136km of forestry roads, with 49km constructed by August 1. The figures also show that 307 licences issued by the department so far this year for the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme, relating to 988ha. 153 licences have been approved for the NTAS (168ha), 110 for the Woodland Improvement Scheme (640ha) and 81 for the Deer Tree Shelter scheme (373ha). 38 licences have been issued for the Climate Resilient Reforestation Scheme covering 226ha. Six licences have been issued for the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme this year for 47ha. The department has received 31 appeals relating to afforestation so far this year, 13 on forest roads and 23 on tree felling.
Agriland
03-08-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Almost E5 4m Paid Out Under Woodland Improvement Scheme
Grants of up to €1,200/ha are available under the DAFM woodland scheme. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has paid out nearly €5.4 million under the Woodland Improvement Scheme since 2015. The scheme provides a range of supports to forest owners to sustainably manage the potential of their forests, with the aim of fulfilling current and future relevant demands for wood and non-wood products. Under the current Woodland Improvement Scheme, grants of up to €1,200/ha are available for five different measures: Thinning and tending; Agroforestry maintenance; Continuous cover forestry (CCF); Coppice and coppice with standards; and Seed stand management. Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Michael Healy-Rae added that the scheme aims to "support the growing of high quality and high-value round wood timber for the timber industry while also delivering on the provision of ecosystem services such as biodiversity, soil, water protection". The minister recently confirmed to Sinn Féin TD Conor D. McGuinness that a total of €5,394,336 was paid under the Woodland Improvement Scheme in the period from 2015 to June 30, 2025. According to the data, the highest annual amount paid out under the scheme was in 2020 when €745,457 was issued. Last year, some €273,000 was issued to participating forest owners, which is down from the €378,220 paid out in 2023. Up to June 30 this year, a total of €132,769 had been issued to forest owners under the scheme. The following table provides a county-by-county breakdown of how much has been paid out under the Woodland Improvement Scheme from 2015 to June 30, 2025: County WIS total payments Carlow €81,669 Cavan €186,920 Clare €151,985 Cork €469,884 Donegal €75,094 Dublin €19,773 Galway €110,034 Kerry €164,057 Kildare €216,526 Kilkenny €355,467 Laois €231,481 Leitrim €68,535 Limerick €187,953 Longford €95,525 Louth €35,835 Mayo €70,703 Meath €483,524 Monaghan €61,862 Offaly €450,520 Roscommon €51,557 Sligo €56,091 Tipperary €677,019 Waterford €131,370 Westmeath €481,797 Wexford €214,801 Wicklow €264,345 Total €5,394,336 Source: DAFM The data shows that Tipperary was the county with the highest total payment under the scheme since 2015, with €677,000. The Premier County is followed by counties Meath (€483,000), Westmeath (€481,000), Cork (€469,000) and Offaly (€450,000). The lowest payments were made to Dublin (€19,773), Louth (€35,000), and Roscommon (€51,000).
Agriland
10-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Over 40 forestry licences issued last week
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued 41 forestry licences in the first week of June. This marks an increase on the 36 licences granted by department officials in the previous week. According to the latest figures, published by the department, 23 of the licences issued last week related to felling, with 13 for private forestry owners and 10 for Coillte plantations, covering over 200ha. There were 11 licences issued for forest roads last week and a further seven for afforestation. Forestry Up to last Friday (June 6), DAFM had issued 384 private felling licences and 144 Coillte felling licences relating to a total of 6,474ha. The department has received 540 applications for private felling and 171 for felling at Coillte sites so far this year. So far this year, 210 afforestation licences have been issued for a total of 1,627ha. The department said that 176 valid afforestation licences had been submitted by June 6. A total of 1,243ha of forestry has been planted so far this year, with the highest amount planted in April (378ha). DAFM noted that the figures for afforestation planted in 2025 reflect afforestation that has been paid at first grant stage this year to date only, including the Native Area Tree Scheme (NTAS). The data shows that 272 licences have been issued for 94km of forestry roads; 38km of roads have been constructed so far in 2025. Licences There have been 207 licences issued by the department so far this year for the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme, relating to 676ha. The department has issued 17 licences for the Climate Resilient Reforestation Scheme covering 94ha. 122 licences have been approved for the NTAS (134ha), 50 for the Woodland Improvement Scheme (291ha) and 56 for the Deer Tree Shelter scheme (239ha). Two licences have been issued for the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme this year for 17ha.
Agriland
06-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Forestry: 505 felling licences issued so far this year
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued 505 felling licences to forestry owners by the end of May this year. 371 of the licences were granted to private owners, while the remaining 134 related to Coillte forests. The licences issued up to May 30 cover a total area of 6,261ha. In 2024, felling licences were a total of 21,850ha, down from 33,416 in the previous year. Of the 693 felling licences applied for so far in 2025, 520 have been submitted by private owners. Last week, 23 felling licences were issued by the department, down from 26 in the previous week. Forestry In the first five months of the year, 203 afforestation licences were issued relating to 1,580ha. The department said that 166 valid afforestation licences have been submitted this year. A total of 1,242ha of forestry has been planted so far this year, with the highest amount, 378ha, planted in April. The latest forestry dashboard figures from DAFM note that the figures for afforestation planted in 2025 reflect afforestation that has been paid at first grant stage this year to date only, including the Native Area Tree Scheme (NTAS). The government has set an annual target of 8,000ha of new forestry in order to meet climate targets. A total of 261 licences have been issued for 91km of forestry roads – the data shows that 37km of roads have been constructed so far in 2025. There have been 195 licences issued by the department so far this year for the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme, relating to 637ha. 122 licences have been approved for the NTAS (133ha), 44 for the Woodland Improvement Scheme (256ha) and 56 for the Deer Tree Shelter scheme (239ha). Two licences have been issued for the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme this year for 17ha. The department has issued 16 licences for the Climate Resilient Reforestation Scheme covering 91ha.
Agriland
21-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
33 forestry licences issued by DAFM last week
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) issued a total of 33 forestry licences last week, including four for afforestation. This marks an increase on the 25 licences granted by the department in the previous week. The latest forestry dashboard, published by the department, shows that 14 of the licences issued last week related to private felling, with three Coillte felling licences issued. Up to May 16, DAFM had issued a total of 340 private felling licences and 116 Coillte felling licences for a total of 5,724ha. The department has received 431 private felling and 173 Coillte felling licences applications so far this year. Forestry The department issued four afforestation licences last week, down from six in the previous week. This brings the total afforestation licences granted this year by DAFM to 193 relating to 1,508ha. DAFM said that 1,146ha has been planted in so far in 2025. This figure reflects afforestation that has been paid at first grant stage this year to date only, including the Native Area Tree Scheme (NTAS). 12 of the licences granted last week were for forestry roads, bringing the total number of these licences issued in 2025 to 239 covering 82km. There has been 40km of roads constructed this year. The Social, Economic, and Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA) said that last week's performance 'comes on the back of a low spell for licensing, with the previous 5 weeks all well below expectations'. 'Periods like this make it clear that the current forestry programme has issues. Not enough hectares are being licensed or planted, and many schemes are not hitting their full potential. 'Earlier this year, SEEFA submitted input for the programme's mid-term review, and we hope to see some changes made to increase activity in DAFM and on the ground,' the association said. Licences The latest department data also shows that 163 licences have been issued by the department so far this year for the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme, relating to 543ha. 111 licences have been approved for the NTAS (123ha), 27 for the Woodland Improvement Scheme (159ha) and 55 for the Deer Tree Shelter scheme (2237ha). 14 licences have been issued for the Climate Resilient Reforestation Scheme covering 84ha. Two licences have been issued for the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme this year for 17ha. The department has received 21 appeals relating to afforestation so far this year, 10 on forest roads and eight on tree felling.
