sustainable woodland management in practice
Woodland care services
GRANT AIDED WOODLAND CREATION
WOODLAND CARE assists landowners to avail of woodland development grants. These are available through the Irish Forest Service and cover the full cost of returning agricultural land to diverse, productive and beautiful natural woodlands. A compensation payment of €500 per ha per year over 20 years is also offered by the Forest Service to landowners who decide to convert agricultural land to woodland. We focus on the use of native species for both broadleaves plantations and native woodland regeneration. We aim to follow the development of each new woodland from planting stage to first thinning (10 to 15 years of age).
To landowners we offer:
- Free site visit and advice
- Full planning service
- Organisation and supervision of all planting works
- Four years maintenance service ( weed management , pruning)
- Management report (required at year 10)
- Assistance in the development of a range of early woodland
products such as firewood, craft timber such as hurley butts , tree seed harvesting for nursery use, edible forest mushrooms.
GRANT AIDED HARDWOODS FIRST THINNING
Hardwoods plantations between 10 and 15 years of age need to be thinned in order to allow free growth for the best quality trees . This operation is essential if the long term quality hardwood the woodland is to be realised. Following fist thinning, regular thinning every five years will be necessary to maintain the young woodland in a dynamic stage with fast growth concentrated on the higher quality trees.
Alongside with quality growth the biodiversity of the woodland ecosystem will also increases as a consequence of the thinning regime. Currently a HARDWOOD FIRST THINNING GRANT of €750/ha is available to broadleaf woodland owner with plantations between 10 and 15 years of age approx.
Woodland care offer a specialist full package service to owners with hardwood plantations in need of thinning to include grant application, operational management (marking, felling, high pruning), timber extraction to roadside and timber marketing.
NATIVE WOODLAND RESTORATION
WOODLAND CARE has been involved in several native woodland restoration projects and as a team we have developed a specific expertise in assisting the recovery of this unique and currently endangered habitat through sustainable management. Unfortunately, funding which was rightly made available from 2001 for the conservation and management of Irish native woodlands (Native Woodland Scheme) has been suspended since Summer 2008.
To existing natural woodland owners we still offer:
- Free site visit and advice
- Full planning service
- Thinning and understorey re spacing
- Pruning and high pruning
- Natural regeneration management
- Coppice management
- Tree planting
Lightweight Machinery in Native Woodland Restoration
Oak group planting with deer protection tubes in native woodland restoration
COMMUNITY WOOODLAND AND WOODLAND GARDENS
Woodland Care designs and plants community and amenity woodlands where the use of informal wild flowers, native trees and fruit trees in a landscape setting is desired. In the last ten years we have designed and planted recreational woodlands for both County Councils and Private Estates. Here recreation and inspiration become the main objectives. The result is fruitful and beautiful full of seasonal colours and flavour.
Woodland Garden Creation