NI woodland creation should be ‘bona fida agricultural activity’

A leading forester has called for assurances from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) that existing afforested land in NI remains eligible for the new farm sustainability payment into the future.

John Hetherington, managing director of forestry consultants Premier Woodlands’, said: “Previously, land planted out in trees under a woodland creation scheme retained full eligibility for the basic payment.

“I am fully aware of the transition arrangements to the new farm sustainability payment system, which will be retained as the core area-based support mechanism for farmers.

“So, it is vitally important that land deemed eligible for the Farm Expansion Scheme (FES) and Small Woodland Grant Schemes (SWGS) is fully recognised as also having and retaining full entitlement eligibility, where the new farm sustainability measure is concerned.”

“Private woodland creation must retain its full recognition as a bona fida agricultural activity, and a core land use option in Northern Ireland.”

Hetherington added that “this reality must be fully endorsed by DAERA”, in particular with regard to the continuing availability of Category A – Farm Business registration.

Meanwhile, planting continues on sites approved for both the FES and the SWGS.

Hetherington noted that, due to the “very late nature of the approvals issued by Forest Service”, planting work has only gotten underway in recent weeks.

“There is also a serious question mark over the availability of tree stocks from nurseries, given that it is so late in the planting season.

“The bottom line is that a number of sites may not be fully planted out until the autumn of this year. And this will be through no fault of the forestry and woodland development companies involved in the work.

“This occurred last year, so Forest Service agreed an extension to the 2023/24 planting provisions until December 31,2024,” he added.

But it is not all bad news. Hetherington acknowledged the strategic benefits associated with Forest Service announcing the FES and SWGS applications periods for both 2024/25 and 2025/26 last year.

“The closing date for the 2025/26 schemes is June 30. In turn this should allow Forest Service to confirm all relevant planting-approved sites by September.

“This then ensures that forestry and woodland development companies can avail of a full planting season for the first time in many years,” he said.

NI farm sustainability

Meanwhile, momentum continues to gather pace with regard to the carbon footprinting of all land use operations in Northern Ireland.

It is expected that the official carbon calculator to be used for farm sustainability purposes will be publicly confirmed over the coming weeks.

However, according to Hetherington, it is important that all woodland and forestry plantations are included within the calculations used to arrive at a carbon footprint figure for all farming and land-based enterprises.

“Unfortunately this did not happen when farm businesses were being sampled for the Soil Nutrient Health scheme, only areas of woodland where entitlements were being claimed were sampled.

“Trees have the capacity to sequester large tonnages of carbon from the atmosphere on an annual basis.

“And this reality must be reflected in all official carbon footprint calculations carried out in Northern Ireland, ” the Premier Woodlands’ representative stressed.

Meanwhile the NI Forest Service replanting grant scheme has been re-opened. The measure will be of specific interest to landowners who have recently clear felled areas of woodland or forest.

According to Hetherington: “The replanting grant scheme pays a one-off £600/ha on ground previously in trees that requires replanting, regeneration of the woodland is a statutory condition of the felling licence.

“Any afforested land that has previously availed of new planting grants and annual payments cannot be further considered for new woodland creation or annual payment measures.