Woodland Improvement Scheme offers forest owners thousands of euro per hectare

The Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett, has launched the new Woodland Improvement Scheme.

The scheme offers financial support to forest owners for sustainable forest management.

Minister Hackett said: “Our forests bring big benefits for our climate, environment and nature. Through the Forestry Programme, this new scheme supports forest owners to deliver these benefits.

“The grants are generous. For instance, owners can benefit up to €1,200 per hectare to thin and tend their forest.

“I’m delighted that we can reward timber growers and forest owners in this way, and that we can enhance our existing woodlands through sustainable forest management practices. I encourage people to apply to the scheme to maximise the value of their forests.”

The Woodland Improvement Scheme supports sustainable forest management that can bring environmental and climate benefits.

“It also protects biodiversity by supporting forest owners to transition from even-aged forest management to closer-to-nature forestry.

Forest owners can choose from five different elements in the Woodland Improvement Scheme: thinning and tending, agroforestry maintenance, continuous cover forestry, coppice and coppice with standards, and seed stand management.

Those forest owners who applied for Thinning and Tending (Element 1) and CCF First Intervention (Element 3) under the previous Woodland Improvement Scheme, and who have not yet received approval, are being written to by the Department and will have the opportunity to opt-in to the new scheme at the improved rates.

Likewise, those with existing approvals under these Elements, and who have not commenced work, will be offered the opportunity to opt-in to the new Scheme and avail of the new rates.

Maximum Grant Levels (Woodland Improvement Scheme)

• Element 1 Thinning and Tending - First Thinning Intervention
• Fixed Grant - €/ha (per treated hectare) - €1,200
• Element 1 Thinning and Tending - Subsequent Thinning Intervention* - €1,200
• Element 2 Agroforestry Maintenance - €1,200
• Element 3 CCF First Intervention - €1,200
• Element 3 CCF Second Intervention - €1,200
• Element 3 CCF Third Intervention - €1,200
• Element 4 Coppice and Coppice with Standards - €1,200
• Element 5 Seed Stand Management - €1,200
  *Areas which have already received payment under the Woodland Improvement Scheme for a past thinning operation are eligible to apply again for a second intervention grant.

Premium Payments
per treated hectare (Woodland Improvement Scheme)

• Element 3 CCF Payment for Ecosystem Services - €150 (for 7 years)
• Element 5 Seed Stand Management Payment for Ecosystem Services - €500 (for 7 years).