Forestry & Enviro

June 2020

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New scheme launched to revive plantations devastated by Ash dieback

Details of a new scheme to help farmers whose ash plantations have been hit with Ash dieback have been announced by the Department of Agriculture.

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'There will come a point when we won't have any ash left in Ireland'

A day is coming when ash trees could face extinction in Ireland. That is the shocking prediction of Offaly farmer Tony Garahy, whose plantation became infected with ash dieback late last year.

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Forestry faces a 'lost generation' of farmers due to ash wipeout

A generation of farmers could be lost to forestry as a result of the treatment of plantation owners in the wake of the ash dieback disease disaster.

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Farmer forced to fell the trees that should have been his cover for a secure retirement

Paddy Stokes' retirement plans have been stolen from him by ash dieback. Already past pension age, the Tipperary farmer was looking to his ash plantation as his pension plot, but 30 years of deliberate and careful planning has been destroyed by the disease.

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Keeping trees on the straight and narrow can yield big dividends

Straight trees are worth money. Because to make furniture, you need to ensure that the tree develops a long, straight, clean length of tree trunk. That requires plenty of TLC from the moment they are planted.

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Brazil meatpackers bought cattle linked to deforestation, says Greenpeace

Brazilian meatpackers JBS SA , Marfrig and Minerva purchased thousands of cattle linked to deforestation of the Amazon rainforest since 2018, advocacy group Greenpeace Brasil alleged in a report published on Thursday.

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Forestry planting 22pc down on 2019 levels

Just 254 hectares of forestry has been planted so far this year, according to the Department of Agriculture.

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Only 3pc of slurry spread by low-emission methods

The vast majority of slurry (84pc) continues to be applied via the splash-plate method, a new study by Teagasc has found.

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Farmers up in arms over plan to rewet drained bogs

The rewetting of drained bogs and phasing out of direct payments on reclaimed peatlands are among a raft of radical measures included in a controversial position paper on the CAP post-2020.

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Using a chainsaw without proper training and safety gear is potentially lethal

The lockdown has reminded me of how lucky I am to be living in beautiful Donegal. I can go straight out my front door with my dog where I have several quiet country lanes to choose from for a walk. And plenty of sticks for my dog to carry.

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May 2020

Rare Red forest fire warning issued

The forest service has issued a rare Red forest fire warning as high temperatures and dry weather look set to persist into the weekend.

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Farmers in Waterford most likely to breach EU rules on nitrate levels on farms

Younger farmers and farmers living in the east and south-east are more likely to breach EU rules on use of nitrates on their farms, according to a new study.

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As warm as Lisbon: Mercury to hit 24C but potato blight alert issued

Fire up the barbecue and break out the suntan lotion as Ireland is set to rival Lisbon for balmy temperatures this week.

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'A transformation of farming, fishing and land use' - Irish wildlife groups welcome Biodiversity Strategy

Irish groups have welcomed an EU plan aimed at preventing the further decline of nature and protecting it from harmful agricultural and industrial practices.

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EU mulls fertiliser cut to curb farming emissions – draft

The European Commission is mulling targets to cut fertiliser use in the European Union over the next decade to bring the agriculture sector into line with its climate policy aims, according to a draft document seen by Reuters.

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European Commission give Ireland four months to solve water contamination issue affecting 180,000 people

THE European Commission has put Ireland on a four-month deadline to solve a chemical contamination problem affecting the drinking water supply of 180,000 people.

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Giant rats, raccoons, and wallabies now living in the wild in Ireland

Farmers have been urged to be on the lookout for unusual creatures following an increase in the number of invasive species such as raccoons, wallabies and chipmunks found living in the wild across the country.

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Steven Meyen: We all have a part to play in halting the threat of devastating forest fires

I saw on Twitter that residents of New Delhi can once again see the Himalayas for the first time in over 30 years because of the dramatically lower emissions in the Indian capital.

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Growing a farm asset - Grants help make forestry operation a feasible option for dairy farmers

Running a dairy enterprise alongside developing a forestry asset has been “a great experience”, says north Cork farmer Stephen Jones.

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April 2020

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Can forestry add to your BPS payment?

Farmers: maximise your income from the same plot of land by availing of forestry premiums and basic payments.

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Forestry logjam creates timber shortage

Ireland's forestry industry is facing a serious crisis that could see the country's sawmills run out of wood by mid-June, a senior sector representative has told the Sunday Independent.

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Hopes up: High-nesting birds hint at fine summer

Ireland could be set for a glorious summer, according to a country tale about the implications of birds building their nests high in trees.

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Warmer weather this week as parts see little or no rainfall fell over the past 7 days

It looks like the farm could be the perfect spot to escape the troubles of the coronavirus lockdown with temperatures of up to 17C forecast today, reaching a high of 19C by Thursday.

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Lower GHG emissions from urine and dung patches than previously thought

A recent project measured N2O from urine and dung in spring, summer and autumn on well-drained, moderately-drained and imperfectly-drained pasture soils - Dominika Krol tells us more.

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Scientists to count carbon emissions of country's escalating wildfires

A team of scientists is embarking on a two-year study to find out how much greenhouse gas is released by wildfires in Ireland.

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Fire Crews battle to contain fires in Wicklow Mountains

Fire crews have been battling to contain gorse fires in the Wicklow Mountains, with the Department of Agriculture issuing an orange fire notice up until Monday.

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EU sees 'Green Deal' delays but keeps climate target plan: draft document

The European Commission will delay some climate policies under its signature “Green Deal” proposal due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the timeline to unveil a new 2030 emissions target is unchanged, according to a draft document seen by Reuters.

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Some farmers should stop spraying rushes, says Department amid fears over water supply

Farmers will not be penalised for having rushes on their land and some should give up their perennial battle to eradicate them, the Department of Agriculture has said.

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Farmers investigated over 400 suspected illegal fires last year

Farmers were investigated for more than 400 suspected illegal fires last year and docked support payments in 80 cases.

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Pulp friction: Border jams delay supply of toilet paper's only ingredient

As several European borders limit travel to stop the spread of COVID-19, two of the world's biggest pulp makers say transportation logjams are delaying shipments of the raw material - the only ingredient in the toilet paper that people are hoarding to weather quarantines.