Coillte is Ireland’s largest and most experienced integrated Forestry Company. We are involved in all aspects of timber production from the sourcing of seed, the production of quality nursery stock, planting, maintenance, harvesting and marketing. Our subsidiary company Smartply Europe limited is the largest processor of pulpwood in the country. As the largest landowners on the island of Ireland, we have a presence in every parish offering employment locally, where other traditional jobs are diminishing.
IS MY LAND SUITABLE FOR TREES? Not all sites are suitable for planting. The land to be planted must
• be in agricultural use prior to planting,
• not be part of an existing or proposed NHA (Natural Heritage Area) or an SAC (Special Area of Conservation), or an SPA (Special Protection Area),
• conform to Forest Service environmental and planning guidelines (See Planning and Environmental issues),
• have soil suitable for growing trees, in particular the pH or lime level can restrict the species which may be planted or render the area unsuitable for planting. This is common in midland areas and generally means that a Forest Soils Test will be required.…
Ground Cultivation Methods The most important reason for cultivating ground prior to planting is to provide a suitable planting medium for the trees. Soil-type, slope and drainage conditions will dictate the most suitable method of cultivation.
Good quality planting stock is critical to the successful establishment of your future plantation. For this reason you should always check your plants to ensure that they conform to your requirements and to a high quality standard..
Maintenance should start on all sites once the trees are planted. Key tasks include operations such as weed control, replacing tree losses and ensuring that the crop remains healthy and vigorous. All young plantations should be maintained so that:
The most commonly planted broadleaved trees in Ireland are ash, sycamore, oak and beech. The lower section of the trunk is the most valuable part of these trees. This is the portion of the tree, which yields the greatest financial return. Particular attention should be paid to stem quality over the first 4 years during which time stem height is likely to reach between 2.0 to 4.0 metres. A quality stem in a young broadleaved tree is one which is straight and unforked, with no particularly heavy branches distorting it.
ish forests are among the healthiest in Europe with relatively few serious forest pests and diseases. This is mainly due to our island status, the relative newness of the forest estate and the enforcement of plant health regulations. The increasing movement between countries of plant material and wood products such as logs, sawn timbers, pallets, packing cases and ship’s dunnage increases the risk of spread of potentially very damaging forest pests and diseases. The threat to Irish forests is best illustrated by the damage caused by Dutch Elm Disease which was introduced into Ireland and which has devastated our elm tree population. It is vital that our increasingly valuable forest estate is protected from similar exotic threats.
Nutrient Deficiencies The nutrient requirements of trees are low in comparison to most agricultural crops. However, sufficient nutrients must be continuously available to achieve good growth rates and high yields. As trees develop, the need for fertiliser will depend on the soil type and tree species planted. Trees growing on infertile peaty or mineral soils may display symptoms of nutrient deficiency after a number of years. These deficiencies can occur despite correct fertiliser application at planting time. It is important to walk your plantation and monitor trees regularly for any of the following:
Many areas of land throughout the countryside contain existing degraded woodland or scrub which have received little or no management in the past. Such areas may be eligible for grant aid under one of the Forest Service schemes.
Thinning increases the total volume yield of usable timber over the lifetime of the crop and provides an intermediate source of timber and revenue before clearfelling. Before making the decision on whether to thin the plantation, a qualified forester should be employed to assess the crop. The decision to thin is dependent on a number of factors: species and age, ground conditions, degree of access, availability of markets, suitable machinery and skilled labour.
-The current emphasis on biodiversity or nature conservation arises from global concerns for the quality of our environment. The word “biodiversity” is a combination of the words “biological” and “diversity”, and refers to the range of plant and animal species that live on this planet.
Sustainable Forest Management
Why and who benefits?
Over the past number of years, there has been a steady increase in the number and complexity of rules and regulations with regard to forest plantations in Ireland. Many farmers regard these regulations as a disincentive to setting up a farm forest enterprise. Why then are these regulations in place?
The Forest Service of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is the State body with overall responsibility for forestry in Ireland. The Forest Service oversees the spending of EU financial supports for forestry. It is also responsible for the promotion of private forestry, for forest protection, control of felling and the promotion of research in forestry and forest produce.
Nutrient Deficiencies The nutrient requirements of trees are low in comparison to most agricultural crops. However, sufficient nutrients must be continuously available to achieve good growth rates and high yields. As trees develop, the need for fertiliser will depend on the soil type and tree species planted. Trees growing on infertile peaty or mineral soils may display symptoms of nutrient deficiency after a number of years. These deficiencies can occur despite correct fertiliser application at planting time. It is important to walk your plantation and monitor trees regularly for any of the following:
• Changes in tree colour,
• Reductions in shoot growth,
• Reductions in needle length/leaf size,
• Die-back of top or side shoots,
• General reduction in vigour.
Where any such symptoms occur, foliar analysis will be required to determine the nature and the extent of a possible nutrient problem. August is the recommended time for foliar analysis of broadleaves and larches. All other conifers should be sampled in November or December. Approved forestry laboratories provide written reports that identify deficiencies and recommend corrective fertiliser applications.
Factors such as poor drainage, exposure, frost and disease may sometimes produce deficiency-like symptoms on trees. Therefore it is vital to find the source of any possible growth problem before attempting to rectify it.
Brashing Access into dense conifer crops such as Sitka spruce can become very limited when adjacent trees come into direct contact (thicket stage). Brashing is the removal of lower branches of trees up to a height of 2 metres. It is carried out when crops are 10 to 12 years old and is only required in every 50th line of trees. Brashing allows access into dense crops, creating inspection racks prior to first thinning and pruning. It is normally carried out with a pruning saw or a light chainsaw.
Roading Good access is essential for economic harvesting of timber. Management pathways laid out prior to planting can become the locations for harvesting roadways for first thinning. These provide the necessary access for harvesting machinery and timber trucks. Roading grants may be available from the Forest Service according to specific criteria. Timber must be ready for harvesting within five years of the construction of a harvesting road. The length of road allowed for grant aid is based on the plantation area (up to 20 m /ha) and the presence of any existing harvesting roads. Grants are available for up to 80% of the roading cost, subject to a maximum rate.
Thinning Plantations are initially established at close spacing and later thinned to promote the quality and growth rate of remaining trees. Thinning is carried out to remove a portion of the crop and thereby concentrate growth onto the best quality stems in the stand. The thinning operation removes poorly formed, diseased, inferior and competing trees to the ultimate benefit of well-spaced quality final crop trees. This results in increased growth and improved quality (the latter is a priority for broadleaved species).
High Pruning Branches cause knots in timber. High pruning involves the removal of all branches from the bottom 6m of selected trees, resulting in the formation of clean, knot free, high quality timber. Pruning is normally carried out after first thinning, when good access through the crop is possible. It may be necessary to thin the crop early to ensure that high pruning is carried out at the correct time. The pruning operation is done in two stages when trees are relatively small in diameter.
Pruning is particularly suited to conifer species such as Sitka spruce, which tend to retain dead branches on the lower stem from thicket stage onwards. A higher price may be attained for pruned timber subject to good product marketing. However not all forests are suitable for high pruning. Pruning should only be considered where the following conditions apply:
• forests are growing on good quality sites,
• forests have low risk from wind throw and disease,
• forests where the average diameter of the final crop trees is capable of increasing by 2.5 times from pruning date to clearfell,
• forests are between 13 and 22 years old.
A high pruning grant may be available from the Forest Service, covering both stages or lifts.
Coillte Farm Partnership and Farm Forestry Management Schemes 
