Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Continuous cover forestry, CCF, is a silvicultural system option in which the aim is to keep the overall forest canopy in place continuously, with low levels of soil exposure and any regeneration gap confined to about one third of a hectare in area. Sites suited to CCF are those where the crop is conducive to seeding, thereby facilitating natural regeneration, and where the risk of windblow is moderate to low following the felling of small regeneration areas or coupes. This silvicultural system is not so much an alternative to afforestation, as the forest must generally be planted in the first instance; instead on suitable sites it may be an option for forest owners where income can be generated from successive thinning operations as an alternative to clearfelling at the end of a rotation.

In the Department's forestry programme, 2014 to 2020, continuous cover forestry is encouraged for new and existing native woodlands under both the afforestation and native woodlands conservation scheme. CCF principles and close to nature silvicultural techniques must also be applied to forests funded under the new agriforestry planting category. Supporting actions for CCF are also included in the targeted training submeasure of the forestry programme. My Department has supported research on CCF under COFORD's low impact silvicultural systems project from 2009 to 2014 and also in the more recent translation from French into English of the guidelines on continuous cover forestry which I will launch tomorrow at the Irish Forestry, Woodland and Bioenergy show at Stradbally Hall Estate, County Laois. I also launched Broadleaf Forestry in Irelandat Avondale in October last year. This COFORD publication provides extensive guidance on the use of silvicultural systems based on natural regeneration and continuous cover forestry. It took approximately 15 years to get the book ready.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Furthermore, as part of the Department’s mid-term review of its forestry programme submissions have been called for to examine the possibilities to support forest owners in transitioning to continuous cover forestry under the woodland improvement scheme.

With regard to a review of potential higher value outputs from CCF, they would include continuity of income from ongoing thinning operations as opposed to the lump sum at clearfell stage, with a consequent replanting cost. Non-wood benefits include the potential for greater forest resilience and habitat diversity. Under the COFORD's low impact silvicultural systems project mentioned, an economic study of CCF was carried out. The study examined factors affecting economic returns from CCF compared with a clearfelling system. The work will help to inform forest owners on the decision to move to a CCF system. Also funded under the COFORD project was the establishment of six research plots throughout Ireland, with five in Coillte forests and one in a private forest. The purpose is to have demonstration and research areas in different woodland types in Ireland so as to be able to demonstrate the timber and non-timber outputs over time. All management inputs which are time and expense and outputs which are timber volumes and revenues are being recorded. As data are collected from sites, knowledge of the application of CCF systems can be improved.

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