FARMERS HAVE BEEN declared as socially responsible in forestry expansion, yet forestry prominently remains a loaded concept in Ireland. It’s economically, politically and socially tortuous in a country struggling to increase its national forest cover.

With farming deeply embedded into communities and simultaneously serving as an economic power, it’s no surprise forestry integration would be seen as a threat.

Driving planting efforts for over 40 years, farmers have contributed 4% to the current national forest cover of roughly 11.7%. So, what’s keeping farmers from planting native woodland?

Introduced in 2001, the Native Woodland Scheme (NWS) – now called the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme – was released by the Department of Agriculture, Fishery and the Marine when under 2% of native woodland remained in Ireland. Funding is provided to participants who plant from a wide selection of native species (alder, arbutus, ash, aspen, birch, hawthorne, hazel, holly, oak, Scots pine, willow, yew; to name a few) while meeting specific parameters for preserving and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.

Compared with other forestry schemes, the NWS is unique because of its strong environmental focus and intention of restoring native woodland cover. Its regulations are strict with controversial conditions including the prohibition of clear-felling, eliminating the opportunity for timber production. Native tree planting also doesn’t provide immediate gratification – planters won’t see full results for 20 to 50 years depending on what type of native tree species are planted, making it difficult to envision positive effects.

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Historically, forestry has competed with agriculture production – a sector remaining of high national value today – for land use and funding. Over 60% of land use is dedicated to farming. Farming itself is a generational activity, which has been supported by government direction to expand for economic benefit. Many farmers are reliant on financial premiums based on adhering to land density requirements, such as under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has been outspoken about forestry barriers, including against the obligation to replant trees after clear-felling, and separately voicing concern about commercial plantations consisting of Sitka Spruce, a non-native species to Ireland. Particularly in Leitrim, there has been public defiance against Sitka Spruce plantations and Coillte – a forestry agency which plants annual amounts of 2.4 million Sitka Spruce trees.

Climate realities

Ireland is undergoing many climate challenges, and while these may be invisible to the naked eye, the impacts are plain in sight. Farms are encountering increased rainfall and weather extremes, and production and management issues. Short-term, this means financial losses. Long-term it means a cultural way of life is in jeopardy.

There are ongoing calls and policy targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – including a 25% cut by 2030 in the agriculture sector – which have contributed to human-induced climate change. Afforestation is identified as a vital solution to mitigating impacts, and native woodland is an essential tool in that equation. But national native woodland cover can’t flourish without planting efforts from farmers. For them to do so, they need a just transition. 

The term ‘just transition’ can be off-putting because it’s portrayed as political jargon. It has no specific definition but has been used variously in policy. Although the concept was introduced alongside the European Union (EU) Green Deal, its origins stem from the American Labor Union’s movement in the 1970s during an emergence of environmental governance and industry struggle to adapt. Ultimately, a rightful, just transition should be rooted in equity and justice and uphold the rights of people during a period of societal transition. 

A just transition for farmers means prioritising support for them across different areas. Ideally, this includes continuous financial rewards for farmers (and other landowners) who participate in the Native Woodland Scheme for their commitment to environmental protection, a recommendation outlined in the National Economic Social Council report (2023) for just transition-achievement. It also entails creating trust between officials and farmers, such as founding a designated group to connect with farmers and local communities for direct feedback and incorporating their responses into decision-making. More largely, increasing climate communications – sharing accessible information on climate change and environmental challenges – should be considered to organise national action toward meeting environmental goals, including for meeting forestry targets. 

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A just transition for farmers though is not eradicating their livelihoods, but rather empowering them to make ethical decisions. Sustainable forestry and agriculture can co-exist and complement one another; policymakers must understand the limitations Irish farmers confront with policy compliances between the two sectors and move toward unifying the agriculture and forestry sectors.

A just and sustainable transition protects both the system in place and the people a part of it; forestry can be a useful and transformative agent in evolving agriculture and farming systems in Ireland. The bountiful benefits of farm forestry and agro-forestry – combining forestry on farmland with crops and livestock – are promising. Modifying the traditional farming lifestyle can increase food production, ensure food security, enrich soil nutrients, reduce labour intensity and provide shelter for livestock.

While it may seem daunting and unfathomable, a just transition for Irish farmers is obtainable. Committing to aiding farmers through equity and justice allows for native woodland across Ireland to flourish. Restoring national native woodland not only repairs biodiversity, ecosystems and the land, but also confidence in our systems and communities. Farmers deserve nothing short of a just transition.

Elizabeth Rymut is a freelance journalist, and recent postgraduate in environmental sciences from Trinity College Dublin. She completed research there analysing how Irish landowners can be incentivised to plant forests and whether the Native Woodland Scheme is effectively aiding landowners in a just transition.