As part of the recent North-West Green Festival a walk was held on Martin and Rohona Reading’s Native Woodland in Ballinaglera, County Leitrim. Situated along the Yellow River on the lower slopes of Sliabh an Iarann (or Iron Mountain) and close to the shores of Lough Allen this is both a very beautiful and appropriate location for a native woodland project.

Before starting their walk in pleasant early autumn sunshine, the sizeable attendance was introduced to the Native Woodland Scheme by Noel Kennedy, Teagasc Forestry Development Officer and Senan Kelly of the Forest Service.

The Native Woodland Scheme was launched by the Forest Service in 2001 with the overall objective of encouraging the proactive protection and expansion of Ireland’s native woodland resource and associated biodiversity using appropriate close to nature silviculture. There are two elements to the scheme – Native Woodland Conservation for existing native woodlands and Native Woodland Establishment for the planting of a new native woodland.

Noel Kennedy explained that both elements attract substantial grant aid – up to €4444 per hectare for Native Woodland Conservation and up to €6920 per hectare for Native Woodland Establishment. This element also attracts an annual tax-free premium payment for twenty years in the case of qualifying farmers. He emphasised that the establishment grant is paid over a four year period subject to the woodland being managed satisfactorily.

Martin Reading told the group that having reviewed their overall farm enterprise in the light of recent changes in farming and a desire to manage their land to protect and enhance the local environment the Native Woodland Scheme provided an ideal answer. The element of interest to Martin was Native Woodland Establishment which had the dual attractions of re-establishing a native woodland that would be typical of the area plus an attractive planting grant and annual premium.

To apply for the scheme he contacted Noel Kiernan, a Native Woodland Scheme (NWS) participating forester, who submitted a Preliminary application in which the overall objectives and long term vision for the project were outlined. On the basis of this application the Forest Service invited Martin to submit an ecological survey/management plan. This essentially was a blueprint for the project – setting out ecological priorities and the operations required to achieve specific management objectives.

Following extensive environmental vetting including consultation Senan Kelly and with the National Parks and Wildlife Service the application was approved for a NWS grant in late 2004 with ground preparation and planting completed in early 2005. Just over nine acres was planted with Ash, Common Alder, Pedunculate Oak, Downey Birch and Silver Birch.

The group then moved to the first stop to an area of semi-mature “riparian woodland” consisting mainly Alder along the Yellow river. This type of native woodland is very important ecologically and is an unique feature within the NWS area. At this stop and the next stop the group saw that the removal and control of furze, Sycamore and Japanese Knotweed were immediate management priorities. The thinning out of the Alder to encourage healthy woodland growth was underway. The Alder thinnings, cut by chainsaw are removed for firewood. Timber production is an important but not the top priority within the NWS.

The next stop was another example of native woodland – but of a completely different type. This was a small area of old Hazel coppice growing precariously on the side of a steep hillock. It is hoped to manage this area to begin again to produce hazel rods and scallops.

The remaining stops concentrated in the main area of new native woodland planting Ash, Alder, Oak, Downey and Silver Birch. Senan Kelly described the subtle changes in soil type and the consequent selection of tree species. The trees were planted into mounds created by mechanical mounding which was the form of ground preparation. The mounds give the trees a good early growth boost by providing an initial weed-free environment and tree growth to date is good. Where there are tree failures consideration will be given to replacing them with Scots pine – one of Ireland’s few native conifers.

In the spirit of the scheme the use of herbicides for grass control is not permitted. The expected encroachment from briars and bracken will be controlled manually.

He stressed that the small field network with hedges of hawthorn, blackthorn, holly etc are an integral part of the objectives of the scheme and were untouched during planting and will remain untouched.

Over time it is hoped that the woodland will develop as nature planned, with a little human intervention, into a mature native woodland rich in biodiversity, self sustaining and a natural element in the landscape. This development will it is hoped be assisted by the natural regeneration of native seedlings of some or all of these species.

The final stop gave the group the opportunity to admire the beautiful panoramic view of the diverse rural Leitrim landscape from the wooded valley to the windswept mountain bog – an appropriate landscape for the Native Woodland Scheme to attempt to restore a native tree cover.