More incentive than ever before to create new woodlands on farms
Single Farm Payment (SFP) remains one of the most important grant incentives to the farming industry in Northern Ireland and it is therefore understandable that up to now, few have been willing to put their SFP payments at risk by changing the way they use their land. Even though some landowners are interested in creating new woodland on their farm, there has always been a certain reluctance to do so in case they “rock the boat” when it comes to their SFP entitlements.
However the European Commission’s recent CAP Health Check has changed this. From 1st January 2009, land on which SFP was claimed and paid in 2008 and is subsequently converted to woodland under the Forestry Grant Schemes automatically remains eligible for SFP for the duration of the forestry scheme.
This is great news for all those farmers who have long held a desire to plant up areas of their farm and enjoy the many benefits that woodland can offer. Trees can be planted on the more remote and exposed parts of the farm to provide shelter for crops, encourage new wildlife to flourish in the area and in the longer term provide a woodfuel and timber resource. Some landowners may even wish to create woodland for their family and local community to walk in and enjoy, providing recreation and education opportunities for future generations.
By planting woodland, you can concentrate your efforts on the more productive areas of your farm, whilst maintaining what can prove to be a successful and worthwhile long-term investment. Woodland requires much less input than conventional labour and machine intensive farming activities, and in turn reduces costs at a time when everyone is cutting back. This can be an important factor for part-time farmers and those letting their land on conacre, who may not have large amounts of time or capital available to invest in their holding.
The Forest Service offers grant aid to farmers through several schemes which are co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development under the current 2007-13 NI Rural Development Programme. The Woodland Grant Scheme aids the establishment of the woodland, whilst the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme complements this by providing an annual payment for up to 15 years to compensate farmers for agricultural income foregone.
Farmers may also like to consider the Short Rotation Coppice Scheme. This funds the establishment and management of a willow crop which is an environmentally sustainable alternative to oil or gas. It is harvested every 2-3 years to produce wood chip, which can be used on farm or sold to generate heat and electricity.
So perhaps now is the right time to consider creating some woodland on your farm and continue to receive your Single Farm Payment in addition to forestry grant payments under the Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS) and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (FWPS).
If you would like more information about Forestry Grant Schemes, please contact the Forest Service:
Forest Service
Afforestation and Plant Health Branch
Room 26
Dundonald House
Upper Newtownards Road
Belfast
BT4 3SB
Tel: 028 9076 5391
Fax: 028 9052 4802
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