Northeast Forestry News
NEFG Activities 2022 and Plans for 2023
Woodland to Workshop Project
Last year was a very busy year for the project. In February, we went to Oak Park in Co Carlow to learn about the Marteloscope system for timber quality and value measurement.
Later on in the year, we visited the Atlantic University in Letterfrack, Co Galway to see practical applications for all types of Irish grown timber.
James Thomson, a Scottish Tutor from Thomson Timber Building gave a timber post and beam construction module, which was held in Navan, Co Meath.
We visited the Lawderdale Furniture Company in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim meeting with Eltjo & Marion Van Der Laan, where they manufacture furniture using locally sourced timber, milling and drying on site.
We attended the Techno Teachers’ Conference in Athlone, Co Meath, and had over 35 schools showing an interest to participate in any future purchases of forest owner group timber.
Our conclusion event was held in The Headfort Hotel, Kells with a video of the project
(Produced by Simon McDermott); and new Group sawn timber sales inventory.
Group Website
Our new look Group website has been developed with thanks to Frances Ball and Simon McDermott. As always, if you have any information that would be of use to your fellow Group Members, please do not hesitate to contact one of the Committee Members (www.northeastforestrygroup.ie).
Knowledge Transfer Group (KTG)
We held our third Knowledge Transfer Group in autumn. This KTG was focused on Group Certification for private forest owners. Our facilitator was Commercial Forestry Services Ltd representative, Sarah Standish.
We are planning to hold another Certification focussed KTG this autumn, where each forest owner participating during the events receives €70 per event.
Group Certification Audit
Our Certification Group Members have undergone their Audit for their five year Group Certification certificate. We are now working with the Irish Forest Owners (IFO) who are now managing our certificate, and have achieved both PEFC and FSC Certification. This is a tremendous achievement as we are still the only private forest owners’ certification group in Ireland.
Atlantic University Visit
Timber Beam & Post Construction
Techno Teachers
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Developing our next generation forest owners’ communication and education platform for the families of our present day Group Members.
Continuing on the achievements of our Woodland to Workshop Project, developing and creating markets for both our hardwood and softwood timbers.
Actively lobbying for proper compensation for our Members who have Ash plantations that have been devastated.
Engaging with Members, with a view to possible purchase of a tractor drawn forwarder and crane for Members’ use. Along with a tractor operated post peeler, so Members can utilise some of their small timber taken from their forests.
Hosting training modules using funding access from the new DAFM Forestry Promotion Program, which is due to be announced this spring.
Engaging with Teagasc and other industry educators to host training events.
Lawderdale Furniture Company
Timber Beam & Post Construction
Tech Teachers
Atlantic University Visit
Ash Dieback
Please click here for reporting, by e-mail, Ash dieback to the Forest Service.
Include your name and address and your contract number with your e-mail. Ideally, a photograph of the disease should also be attached to your e-mail.
The disease can also be reported by phoning 01 607 2651.
There is also a very good app which can be used, please click on the following link TreeCheck
The following link is to the Forest Service’s website on the disease:
https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/treediseases/ashdiebackchalara
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) (Forestry Division) has announced details of the new support scheme for plantations impacted by Ash dieback disease, the Reconstitution and Under-planting scheme (RUS scheme) this week:
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Reconstitution and Under-planting Scheme (RUS)
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Summary document outlining the options available to Ash plantation owners.
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New Scheme Document (RUS scheme) which describes the Reconstitution and Under-planting Options open to the Forest Owner.
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New Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the evaluation of levels of stem damage (with field sheet).
The following three documents provide details of the new scheme and outline the revised approach as follows:
Some of the main changes to note are as follows:
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DAFM no longer requires a laboratory positive from an Ash plantation in order for the owner to gain access to DAFM support schemes.
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Plantations are no longer subject to statutory plant health felling and disposal requirements.
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Applications under the RUS Scheme are exempt from the felling licence requirement.
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Applications for the WIS and other schemes require a felling licence.
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Applications for Categories 2b and 2c of the RUS Scheme must be field assessed using the new procedure described in the attached SOP.
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All applications must be screened for Appropriate Assessment.
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Site biosecurity should be observed.
Licences
Requirements & Public Notifications
Phase 2 - Forestry Licence Viewer (FLV)
Circular 01 2021 Phase 2 Forestry Licence Viewer.pdf
Forestry Licence Viewer (FLV)
Please click this link to view the Licence Viewer
Tree Felling Licence (TFL) Guidance Note
Please click this link to view the TFL Guidance Note 03122020.pdf
Application for a Licence to Fell Trees
Please click this link to view the Application for a Licence to Fell Trees.pdf
Felling Site Notice
Please click this link to view the Notice Site Notice Felling 16122020.docx or Site Notice Felling 16122020.pages.pdf
Site Notice Afforestation
Please click this link to view the Notice Site Notice Afforestation 16122020.docx or Site Notice Afforestation 16122020.pages.pdf
Site Notice Forest Road Works
Please click this link to view the Notice Site Notice Roads 16122020.docx or Site Notice Roads 16122020.pages.pdf
Please study this carefully, as there are notices to be put up at your forest entrance, prior to any harvesting operations taking place.
The following is short footage of the hardwood thinning/harvesting video and drone filming we are doing soon:
Hardwood Thinning/Harvesting Video Taster
As you can see, it is a very quick and efficient way of working in a hardwood plantation, especially if there are a lot of briers.
If you have a hardwood plantation with good access (forest road, etc) a current felling licence and grant approval (if needed) and are interested in having a demonstration filmed at your plantation, please contact John Sherlock on 086 257 6864.
Our Teagasc Forestry Development Officer, Kevin O’Connell, has asked that we share the following four videos:
Appropriate Assesments for Licences
We have received a copy of the following two paged Circular from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Forestry Division.
Information Required for Forestry Licence
Application Completion
‘The Department has recently reviewed its systems for the preparation of Appropriate Assessment Screening Determinations, Appropriate Assessment Reports and Appropriate Assessment Determinations. We have made some improvements to the system to optimise the time of the ecologists to concentrate on the ecology aspects of each application. Currently these improvements are only applied to private tree felling (TFL) applications, with ecologists working mostly on these files in advance of the system being developed further to assist with forest road works and afforestation licence applications.’
Please click on the following link for some of the updates:
Circular 08 2021 Information Required for Forestry Licence Application Completions.pdf
Please find below the complete one hour webinar Hardwood Focus 2021 ‘Firewood Production from Thinning Broadleaves’
Hardwood Focus 2021 Webinar
- Firewood Production from Thinning Broadleaves
Please click on the following link for a planning leaflet from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine:
DAFM Planning 2021 Leaflet.pdf
This leaflet is relevant for anyone wishing to convert their Ash woodlands to conifers.
Planning Issues Leaflet.