Agroforestry - Finally Starting in the Republic of Ireland

 With beef and sheep under pressure in climate change negotiations, could agroforestry help improve livestock’s carbon footprint?

Agroforestry in West Cork

  Agroforestry combines farming and forestry. However, it’s not that the two sites are next to each other. Rather, they are integrated into the one area. So the trees and either animals or crops are together in the same fields.

 There are three main types of agroforestry suited to Ireland: silvoarable (trees and crops), silvopastural (trees and animals) and agro-silviopastural (trees, crops and animals). These is also forest gardening, which I covered in an article on ARC2020)

 

Silvopastural agroforestry Loughgall Northern Ireland

Planting rates vary, with 5x5 metre tree spacing typical of most plots.  Some set ups, involving crops (and with more of a machinery requirement) are spaced at 6 x 1.5 metres. Interestingly, animal stocking rates per hectare are the same as without trees.

Interview with District Forestry Inspector Eugene Curran 

Eugene Curran is a District Forestry Inspector with the Department working in Skibbereen

Oliver Moore: Where are the agroforestry demonstration sites in Cork?

 Eugene Curran: We set up a couple of trial plots. Liam Beechinor set up a 2 hectare demonstration plot near Dunmanway about 4 years ago and its success showed that it could work. Last summer another demonstration plot was completed by Alan Kingston near Dunmanway. Also a German man, Christoph Eiselle, had undertaken some planting of Paulownia and Dutch disease tolerant elms. This prompted a couple of field days. A call for proposals from the Department has been made in order to further our knowledge of agroforestry.

OM: Who do you think will be interested?

 EC: We think more than likely a farmer may have an application for a larger plantation, and he might look at a field within that plantation proposal. He might think – the grass is really good from that field for years, and hesitate about converting it over fully to forestry. So agroforestry gives him access to the grass from that field.

Farmer may need the grass and have livestock; with climate change and the damp springs, it’s an advantage to have access to the grass in certain situations – such as when there is a fodder shortage.

The great thing is that, if using sheep, once ewes are moved on, the grass still grows, and you have the flexibility to go in and cut hay or silage afterwards. It can give farmer flexibility for grazing, silage, hay - the price and availability of fodder can fluctuate. A farmer can make savings or sell the fodder.

OM: What is the animal density typically?

EC: Its roughly 15 ewes per hectare and with cattle 5 per hectare. It’s best to use small calves when the trees are young, and bigger animals after seven to eight years. Cattle can actually be less damaging than sheep, and smaller cattle such as dexter and jerseys suit. Also dairy farmers have been enquiring about agroforestry plots for extra grazing or fodder for calves.

Another aspect is that trees which are slower growing - such as oak - mean there is more grass for the farmer. As they mature and thin out, we can manage the canopy and manage the amount of grass underneath.

OM: Apart from grass and grants, are there other environmental benefits?

EC: There are a number. Tress help water percolate into soil, they prevent water and nutrient run off - so suspended solids are less likely to run into the water.  Earthworms in the soil take the leaves into the ground and increase carbon content of the soil, so it’s not just carbon sequestered in the timber but in these leaves too. So agroforestry could play a role in mitigating carbon emissions from other sources. They can also provide a renewable source of fuel and bioenergy, helping us to move away from fossil fuels.

At a certain height it looks like a parkland, so it looks very attractive .This has amenity or agri-tourism potential. There is lots of canopy biodiversity; birds insects, spiders, lichens, so there are huge environmental benefits.” 

Contact Eugene Curran on 028 - 21888

Supports for set up and maintenance of agroforestry in Ireland

The Afforestation Grant and PremiumScheme 2014-2020 Grant and Premium Category 11  (opens pdf) supports the establishment of silvopastoral agroforestry – the combination of forestry and pasture.

It allows farmers to farm conventionally while growing a timber crop in the same fields. Silvopastoral agroforestry permits grazing by sheep or young domestic stock during spring and summer for the first six to eight years. Trees must be protected and tree shelters checked regularly. 

Once trees are of a sufficient size, tree shelters can then be replaced with plastic mesh and larger stock can be introduced.

Silage and hay production is also permitted. It is important that appropriate machinery is used when cutting silage and/or hay so as to ensure that the trees are not inadvertently damaged.

Acceptable species include oak, sycamore and cherry but other species can also be considered on a case by case basis. Large plants (90 cm - 120 cm) should be used. Planting should be carried out using pit planting where possible.

A case has also been made for Walnut, evergreen oaks (including with edible acorns), sweet chestnut, cider apple trees grown on vigorous rootstocks, and cobnuts.

Initial stocking rate should be between 400 and 1,000 trees per hectare equally spaced out. Minimum plot size is 0.5 ha while minimum plot width is 20 metres.

80% of eligible costs are covered. Land classified by the Department as ‘unimproved/unenclosed’ (i.e. GPC 1) will not be eligible for support under GPC11.

Grant rates and payment structure are paid on a fixed grant basis. Premiums will be paid for five years and will cover the cost of maintenance only. Initial funding is E4450, with an annual premium rate of E260 per hectare over five years.

The three Cork demonstration sites

Agroforestry West Cork

Alan Kingston’s demonstration plot at Kilnaclasha, Skibbereen. Planted  2014, 1.9 Hectares of agroforestry. Part of a larger plantation. Single tree plots 5x5 meter spacing  (silviopastoral). Rows at 6 x 1.5 meter spacing (silvopastoral). Rows at 8x 1.5 meter spacing (silvoarable including Kale).

Liam Beechinor’s demonstration plot, Liscubba (near Dunmanway) Planted in April of 2012, 1.89 hectares of silvopastoral, ash and oak, single tree at 5 x5 meter spacing. Sheep have grazed it, silage and hay cut.

Christoph Eisele /Jaap’s agroforestry plots in Ballydehob. Using Paulownia and Dutch elm disease tolerant elms (silvopastoral).New plantation planned for next year.

Liam Beechinor west Cork farmer with trees and sheep together

Liam Beechinor (centre)

I had a plantation and decided to expand. I was thinking of some rougher ground which I still used for grazing, but which was stony six inches under. Eugene approached me regarding agroforestry. 

People are nervous enough, once you plant a tree, it’s there for a long time, but it’s only a change of thinking. In our area, there’s a mentality that forestry is retirement. This is a bridge between farming and forestry.

With forestry, after set up, people sometimes close the gate and forget about it. The only interest is the premium. With this, you are still involved in the land, and in the tress, you are still taking care of them and still farming. With agroforestry, someone can still be actively involved in the land, and younger.

I’m a bit disappointed with how the grant, as its currently set up, runs for 5 years – the trees will be there for a lot longer!  That irked me. If they want this to be taken up more, they’ll need to make it longer.

I only use a small amount of fertilizer – way less. About 2 bags to the acre.

On a good year I’ve taken two cuts of silage, over a hundred bales of hay and had the sheep out until December.

Previously 

Saving the world with mutton and hurleys

agroforestry cork forestry silvopasture west cork

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