Forestry

Grants and Premiums

• Afforestation
• FEPS
• Forest Roads

Afforestation

Afforestation is the conversion of bare or cultivated land in forest.  The grants for this scheme are payable in 2 instalments. The 1st instalment grant is cost based and is equivalent to 75% of the total grant and is payable on completion of the project. The 2nd instalment, equivalent to 25% of the grant is payable 4 years after completion subject to the satisfactory maintenance of the plantation.

Fixed Grant Rates

Afforestation grants cover the costs of establishing a plantation including ground cultivation, plants, planting, fencing and 4 years maintenance.

Grant rates effective from 1st January 2011

The afforestation grant is available as a fixed grant in respect of costs incurred in the establishment of a plantation. It is payable in two fixed grants as outlined above plus an allowance for fencing (maximum outlined above and below for deer fencing) payable at 1st instalment stage.

Deer Fencing Maximum Allocation:

• ‘Upgrade to deer’ fencing: €975/ha for all GPCs
• ‘New deer, deer/rabbit fencing’: €1,800/ha for all GPCs
• All fencing claims will be capped at €50,000 on all plantations.

Land Categories:

1. Unenclosed Land means land that was never improved and enclosed by man-made boundaries for agricultural use other than extensive grazing.

2. Enclosed and Improved Land means land that was enclosed and improved for agricultural use by cultivation, manuring or both, and which is completely surrounded by man-made boundaries and usually shown as such in Ordnance Survey maps of scale 6 inches to 1 mile (1:10560).

Species Composition in Grant and Premium Categories:

To be eligible for grant aid each plot within a plantation must conform to one of the following Grant/Premium Categories (GPC’s).  

GPC 1 – Unenclosed land

All approved broadleaves and conifers planted on unenclosed land receive the unenclosed grant and premium rates.

GPC 2 – Sitka spruce/ Lodgepole Pine

This plot is made up of Sitka spruce or lodgepole pine.  For landscape purposes, it is advisable to introduce a small number of other species into this plot.  This plot on its own as a plantation is not eligible for grant aid

GPC 3 – 20% diverse mix

This plot is made up of an intimate mix of Sitka Spruce or Lodgepole Pine and a suitable diverse conifer (normally Japanese larch or Hybrid larch).  The diverse conifer content must be at least 20%.  This 20% mix can be made up of trees intimately mixed through the plantation, trees planted in groups through the plantation or a combination of both. The diverse conifer species in this intimate mix may be substituted by suitable broadleaves

GPC 4 – Diverse

This plot is made up of acceptable conifer species other than Sitka Spruce and Lodgepole Pine.

GPC 5 – Broadleaf (Non Oak/Beech)

This plot is made up of acceptable broadleaves other than Oak and Beech.

GPC 6 – Oak

This plot is made up of pure oak and/or an oak/conifer mix.  The only conifers acceptable for this mixture are Scots pine and European larch.

GPC 7 – Beech

This plot is made up of pure beech and/or a beech/conifer mix.  The only conifers acceptable for this mixture are Scots Pine and European Larch