This is a subscriber-only article
Landowners with ash forestry are being urged to apply for support under the Department of Agriculture’s Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback.
Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Michael Healy-Rae reiterated the call which aims to support forest owners to clear dead ash trees and replant with another species.
By undertaking this, landowners will make themselves eligible for the additional climate action performance payment (CAPP) of €5,000/ha.
The Minister Healy-Rae said there are still many ash forest owners who have not yet applied to reconstitute their ash forests and availed of this payment.
“I welcome the fact that over a third of the total spending on ash dieback has occurred since last September, and that the CAPP payment has been instrumental in encouraging ash forest owners to take action,” he said.
“I want to encourage ash forest owners to engage with the enhanced reconstitution scheme as soon as possible, as the quickest and most effective way to clear and reconstitute affected sites, and to avail of the CAPP Scheme.”
Grants
In July 2023, the Department launched the latest of these ash dieback schemes, the Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback, under the new Forestry Programme.
It includes features such as: 100% increase in the site clearance grant rate, to €2,000 per hectare; enhanced replanting grant rates of between €3,858/ha and €8,555/ha, depending on the forest type replanted; and for those in receipt of farmer rate of premium, a single top up premium equal to the difference between the equivalent forestry type and the existing premium is paid for the remaining years left in premium.
This means that, for clearing and replanting, the range of payment to ash forest owners entering the scheme is between €5,858/ha and €10,555/ha, and they can also avail of the additional €5,000/ha CAPP payment.
Payments
The Department of Agriculture has paid out €23m in total since 2013 on ash dieback-affected forests.
A total of €4.5m has been paid out this year so far on clearance and replanting grants, and a further €4m has been paid since last September on the CAPP to those who have cleared their lands and replanted.
The CAPP will be issued to eligible landowners in three instalments over two years.
There is an online facility to apply for the CAPP payment. Online applications can only be made directly by the forest owner who is associated with the relevant reconstitution scheme.
SHARING OPTIONS: