Forestry Grants
A range of forestry grants are available to promote afforestation in Ireland.
Deel Forestry can help and advise you on suitable grants and available schemes.
These grants help to:
- Increase the area under forest in Ireland to contribute towards climate change mitigation;
- Produce a commercial crop of timber;
- Provide a sustainable source of wood biomass for energy purposes;
- Provide a sustainable basis for development of the rural economy;
- Increase the area of purpose-designed recreational and amenity forests;
- Improve water quality through riparian planting;
- Increase overall biodiversity by providing woodland habitat which is under-represented in the complex of habitat types
All Grant Applicants must:
- Be over 18 years of age and
- Hold a Personal Public Service Number.
- Must Own or Lease the land
Woodland Improvement Scheme
Thinning and Tending
The aim of the scheme is to stimulate the improvement, protection and development of woodlands and forests for a range of functions, including:
- healthy tree growth
- landscape enhancement
- soil protection and water protection.
These are facilitated by:
- Improvement Felling of malformed and over mature trees
- Felling of additional trees to release potential crop. (PCT)
- Pruning to improve stem quality
- Thinning or re-spacing to promote growth
- Management and re-spacing of natural regeneration.
Grant Rate: The maximum grant will be €750 per hectare with a cap of €20,000 per application.
Native Woodland Scheme – Establishment
The objectives of the Scheme include:
- To restore forests damaged by natural causes,
- To restore and prevent damage to forests caused by deer, squirrel and vole.
- To contribute to maintaining or restoring forest ecosystems and biodiversity.
To contribute to maintaining or restoring the traditional landscape
New Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020
Afforestation Premium Rates (same rates for farmer and non farmer)
| GPC | New Rate | Duration (years) | |
| 1 – Unenclosed | €185 | 15 | |
| 2 – Sitka spruce/lodgepole pine | €440 | 15 | |
| 3 – 10% Diverse | €510 | 15 | |
| 4 – Diverse | €560 | 15 | |
| 5 – Broadleaf | €575 | 15 | |
| 6 – Oak / Beech | €615 | 15 | |
| 7 – Beech | €615 | 15 | |
| 8 – Alder | €575 | 15 | |
| 9- Native Woodland Establishment (Scenarios 1-3)* | €635 | 15 | |
| 10- Native Woodland establishment (Scenario 4)* | €635 | 15 | |
| 11 – Agro-forestry* | €260 | 5 | |
| 12 – Forestry for Fibre* | €180 | 10 |
*new GPC’s
Grant rates (5% increase on fixed rate grant)
| GPC | 1st Grant€/ha | 2nd Grant€/ha | Total€/ha | Additional Fencing Allocation€/ha IS436 | Alternative Fencing Allocation €/haNon IS436 | TotalAvailable
Funding €/ha |
| 1 – Unenclosed | 1575 | 525 | 2100 | 500 | 350 | 2600 |
| 2 – Sitka spruce / LP | 2310 | 735 | 3045 | 500 | 350 | 3545 |
| 3 – 10% Diverse Conifer | 2360 | 790 | 3150 | 500 | 350 | 3650 |
| 4 – Diverse Conifer | 2625 | 840 | 3465 | 500 | 350 | 3965 |
| 5 – Broadleaf | 3780 | 1155 | 4935 | 500 | 450 | 5435 |
| 6 – Oak / Beech | 3990 | 1260 | 5250 | 500 | 450 | 5750 |
| 7 – Beech | 3990 | 1260 | 5250 | 500 | 450 | 5750 |
| 8 – Alder | 2520 | 840 | 3360 | 500 | 450 | 3860 |
| 9- Native Woodland Establishment (Scenarios 1-4) | 3990 | 1260 | 5250 | 500 | 450 | 5750 |
| 10- Native Woodland establishment (Scenario 4) | 3780 | 1155 | 4935 | 500 | 450 | 5435 |
| 11 – Agro-forestry | 2960 | 990 | 3950 | 500 | 450 | 4450 |
| 12a – Forestry for Fibre | 1460 | 490 | 1950 | 500 | 450 | 2450 |
| 12b – Forestry for Fibre (Aspen, 1400) | 1245 | 420 | 1665 | 500 | 450 | 2165 |