Environment Newsletter - December 2023

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In this edition:

• ACRES tree planting actions
  With the deadline of March 31, 2024 for all tree planting in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) 1, now is the time to plant. These include the traditional orchard, tree belts for ammonia capture from farmyards, and planting trees in riparian buffer zone categories. As well as sequestering and storing carbon, planting trees will help biodiversity if located in an appropriate place and not replacing valuable grassland habitats.
  
  • Planting trees
    Trees planted under the general tree planting option receive €6.21 per tree per year. One dot in each Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) parcel can mean between 10 and 300 trees, depending on what was chosen. Where tree actions were the reason you were accepted into ACRES as a tier 2 applicant, failure to plant trees may result in the loss of the full ACRES payment for one year.
  • Plants
    Plants must be of Irish origin or Irish provenance and purchased from Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)-registered professional operators. All trees purchased for this action must have an accompanying plant passport and participants must ensure that they retain the passport(s) for the duration of the contract.
  • Planting trees in riparian buffer zones
    These trees receive €3.18/tree/year. Plant at least two species from: alder; silver and downy birch; pedunculate oak; and, goat, grey and bay willow. Plant as single trees or small groups of five to ten trees with 2.5m spacing between the trees, and 10m between the groups.
  • Tree belts for ammonia capture
    These trees should be sited adjacent to livestock housing or slurry storage facilities. The distance from the livestock shed to the tree belt should be 10-20m, and a maximum of 50m. The area planted can vary from 0.18-0.5ha with the maximum area selected receiving €2,524 per year. Plant trees at a minimum of 3m spacing, with at least one per 10m2 of tree belt area. The minimum depth of shelterbelt is 30m.