The Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett, has congratulated Teagasc on the launch of its new booklet, ‘Your Tree Planting Companion’, which explains the key stages to successfully planting and looking after trees.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Hackett said; "This week we are celebrating the beauty and importance of Ireland’s trees during National Tree Week, organised by the Tree Council of Ireland and Coillte. I would like to encourage everyone to participate in this week-long programme of events to celebrate all things trees.
"Planting trees is one of the most effective ways of mitigating climate change, as well as contributing to improved biodiversity and water quality. This clear and practical guide is an important resource for all landowners, and I would encourage anybody interested in planting to pick one up no matter how big or small your planting ambitions are.”
The Minister added that; "Support for the establishment of new forests is available in the form of grants and premiums under the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027. The afforestation scheme under this programme offers landowners a choice of 12 different attractive forest establishment types, covering a broad range of planting options. It also offers increased premium rates ranging from 46 per cent to 66 per cent, alongside a longer premium term of 20 years for farmers, compared to 15 years for non-farmers.
"The new Forestry Programme is the most ambitious and best funded in the history of the state. It supports landowners to plant trees in a manner that provides lasting climate, biodiversity, wood production, employment, and wider societal benefits. Planting a forest is a positive step for climate action, and planting the right trees in the right places is positive for nature and biodiversity, and can benefit people’s health and wellbeing."
Teagasc Forestry Development Officer, Steven Meyen, the author of “Your Tree Planting Companion” said; “This booklet takes the mystery out of planting and looking after trees. Not only will it tell you how to plant trees, but it also describes how to look after them to ensure successful and strong growth. This guide provides plenty of inspiration on where to plant trees. If you're not too sure what tree would suit, the tree selector table gives you the confidence to choose the most suitable tree: is the soil dry or damp, acidic or alkaline, are you looking for a large or small tree, or maybe a tree that has beautiful autumn foliage. This booklet will help you. The trees you plant now, can give many years of enjoyment to you and the people around you.”
This new Teagasc booklet, is available from your local Teagasc Forestry Advisor, and can be downloaded from the forestry section of the Teagasc website.
