Mr. Karl Coggins:

When people consider mature forests they do not look great from a biodiversity point of view. The forests that are being planted now are completely different. We have learned an awful lot about designing forests. To be eligible for grants and premiums, under the afforestation scheme, one must plant 15% broadleaves. There are certain setbacks from watercourses that have been set down in an environmental requirements document that was launched a number of years ago. If areas for planting have rich habitats then the Department will pay for the areas to be retained as areas of biodiversity enhancement. The highest grants and premiums that the Department pays are for the retention of broadleaf plantations and in the recent mid-term review we increased those rates. Mr. Spink mentioned that the target for broadleaf planting is 30%. The percentage was in the region of 19% at the beginning of the forestry programme and we hit 27% last year and the higher rates that we introduced contributed to that.

Earlier Mr. Callanan mentioned the dairy sustainability initiative. The planting of native woodlands and riparian zones are a solution that is offered to protect sensitive waterways as part of those measures.