Benefits of Teagasc's ‘Woodland for Water’ planting promoted to Kilkenny farmers

Minister with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae, TD, visited the Teagasc ‘Woodland for Water’ planting measures at Moorepark Campus and said it is an example of what can be achieved under the Forestry Programme.

These measures comprise three hectares of native woodland established under the Department’s Forestry Programme, and combine woodland planting with an adjoining undisturbed water setback along the Funshion River in Moorepark.

As the woodland is developing, it serves as an effective measure to break potential nutrient pathways (e.g., phosphates) between the adjoining agricultural land use and the river itself. It also provides many co-benefits including biodiversity, landscape, aquatic and habitat connectivity services.

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Minister Healy-Rae said: “This is an example of what can be achieved under the Forestry Programme. I would particularly urge farmers and other landowners to look at the Native Tree Area Scheme. This supports the creation of small native forests, as well as native riparian forests for water protection. This small-scale planting can be undertaken without the requirement for an afforestation licence and receives an attractive premium of over €22,000 per hectare over 10 years.”