Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The management of forestry plantations is ultimately the responsibility of the owner of the land in question. Where the landowner is no longer under contract with my Department in relation to their forestry plantation, it is for the landowner to decide how and when they carry out general maintenance on their lands and there is no requirement to notify or seek approval from my Department under the Forestry Act 2014 or Forestry Regulations 2017, as amended, provided such general maintenance does not entail thinning or felling for which a licence would be required under the 2014 Act.

In respect of the maintenance of electricity transmission line corridors within forests, Section 98 of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1927, as amended by Section 45 of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, empowers the ESB to lop or cut any tree, shrub or hedge which obstructs or interferes with electrical wires.

Such works may also be subject to terms of the agreement entered into between the Irish Farmers’ Association and the ESB as regards ESB lines interacting with grant-aided forest areas. My Department is not a party to the IFA / ESB agreement and its only function in relation to the same is to provide information, upon request, to parties regarding loss of earnings as they would otherwise arise from Afforestation Scheme payments.

As set out in the Forestry Standards Manual, whilst such ESB corridors are intended to be left unplanted at the initial afforestation stage, where naturally regenerated trees do colonise the area, the trees are not to be allowed to grow to a height of more than 3m above the ground and the landowner is responsible for cutting or lopping the trees to ensure this. The landowner is also responsible for keeping a minimum corridor of at least 4 metres in width totally clear of regenerating trees for ESB maintenance access, this is not subject to any requirement for a Tree Felling Licence.

If someone is dissatisfied with the outcome of such works, the landowner or any other 3rd party complainant, then has the option to complain to the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU).

Finally, my Department carries out regular inspections of the forest estate, and if issues are found that pertain to the implementation of the Forestry Acts then my Department will work with the relevant landowners on the matter.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Forestry Programme 2023-2027 provides a range of schemes to support the maintenance and management of forests.

Recognising the importance of managing forests the €1.3 billion Forestry Programme provides a range of measures to support forest owners. For example, my Department has launched a forest roads scheme that facilitates the construction of new forest roads to support forest management. This will provide opportunities for forest owners to create and improve access to forests to facilitate maintenance, harvesting of timber and the monitoring of and protection of forests. Forest roads also provide access to utility companies and forest owners to manage trees adjacent to powerlines.

We will also launch later this year a forest management plan scheme to provide funding to forest owners to prepare plans which will support certification and applications for licensing.

My department, recently opened the Woodland Improvement scheme which provides financial support to existing forest owners who wish to manage and maintain their forests to benefit the environment and the ecosystem services they provide. The Woodland Improvement Scheme has five elements; Thinning and Tending, Agroforestry Maintenance, Continuous Cover Forestry, Coppice and Coppice with Standards and finally Seed Stand Management. These schemes support forest owners to manage their forests in keeping with the principles of sustainable forest management and the protection of the environment, including water.

The protection and restoration of ancient woodland through close to nature schemes such as the Native Woodland Conservation scheme, aims to support the appropriate restoration of existing native woodland.

The Forestry Programme will also introduce on a Pilot basis, a payments for Ecosystem Services for particular schemes with a range of premium payments over a seven year period. Scheme’s that come with an ecosystem payment for forest owners who successfully enter these schemes include: Continuous Cover Forestry, Seed Stand Maintenance and Native Woodland Conservation.

Overall the Forestry Programme 2023- 2027 recognises and financially supports the benefit to the environment that long term management and maintenance bring to existing woodland owners.