Can native woodland flourish without farmers? They also deserve a just transition
Posted on: 10 January 2025
Farmers are “central and socially responsible” in forestry expansion, according to the Department of Agriculture, Fishery and the Marine (DAFM). Simultaneously, forestry in Ireland remains an economically, politically, and socially tortuous concept. Driving planting efforts for over 40 years, farmers have contributed 4% to the current national forest cover of approximately 11.7%. However, challenges remain in encouraging landowners to plant native woodland.
In 2001, when just under 2% of native woodland remained in Ireland, the Native Woodland Scheme (NWS) – now called the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme – was introduced by the DAFM. Its strong environmental focus and intention of restoring native woodland cover is unique, compared with other existing forestry schemes. Scheme participants are provided with funding to plant from a wide selection of native species (alder, arbutus, ash, aspen, birch, hawthorne, hazel, holly, oak, Scots pine, willow, yew; to name a few) while meeting specific parameters for preserving and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems. The scheme has struggled in meeting targets, with reportingly strict regulations including prohibition of clear-felling, which eliminates the opportunity for timber production, a potential financial opportunity for landowners. It is also difficult for planters to envision the positive impacts of native planting, as full results may take up to 50 years.
Historically, forestry has competed with agriculture production – a sector remaining of high national value today and requiring over 60% of land use. Farming itself is a generational activity, which has been supported by government direction to expand for economic benefit. Many farmers are reliant on financial premiums based on adhering to land density requirements, such as under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).
There are on-going calls and policy targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – including a 25% cut by 2030 in the agriculture sector – which have contributed to human-induced climate change. Afforestation is identified as a vital solution to mitigating impacts. Through a process called carbon sequestration, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequester it in its biomass and roots. This alone has numerous benefits, especially with native woodland. To name a few, native woodland has capacity to increase biodiversity, protect ecosystems, improve water and soil health, and encourage cultural connection, meanwhile curbing emissions – all of which are important for the environment, farms, and our communities.
Without planting efforts from farmers, it is likely targets for native woodland cover will remain unmet. Thus, a just transition is a crucial solution for transitioning the forestry and agriculture sectors, together.
Although the term ‘just transition’ was introduced alongside the European Union (EU) Green Deal, its’ origins stem from the American Labor Union’s movement in the 1970s during an emergence of environmental governance and industry struggle to adapt. Ultimately, a rightful, just transition should be rooted in equity and justice and uphold the rights of people during a period of societal transition.
A just transition for farmers means protecting a farmers’ livelihood and lifestyle while preserving an important economic system. Providing continuous financial rewarding for farmers (and other landowners) who participate in the Native Woodland Scheme for their commitment to environmental protection is recommendation outlined in the National Economic Social Council report (2023) for just transition-achievement. It also entails creating trust between officials and farmers, such as founding a designated group to connect with farmers and local communities for direct feedback and incorporating their responses into decision-making. More largely, increasing climate communications – sharing accessible information on climate change and environmental challenges – should be considered to organise national action toward meeting environmental goals, including for meeting forestry targets.
Forestry can be a useful and transformative agent in evolving agriculture and farming systems in Ireland. The bountiful benefits of farm forestry and agro-forestry – combining forestry on farmland with crops and livestock – is promising. Modifying the traditional farming lifestyle can increase food production, ensure food security, enrich soil nutrients, reduce labor intensity and provide shelter for livestock.
Committing to aiding farmers through equity and justice allows for native woodland across Ireland to flourish. Restoring national native woodland not only repairs biodiversity, ecosystems and the land, but also confidence in our systems and communities. Farmers deserve nothing short of a just transition.
This Opinion piece was written by Elizabeth Rymut, who recently graduated from Trinity having completed a research thesis analysing how Irish landowners can be incentivised to plant forests and whether the Native Woodland Scheme is effectively aiding landowners in a just transition.
Fraser Mitchell, Professor in Botany in Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences, supervised Elizabeth’s postgraduate studies. He said: “The Native Woodland Scheme has the potential to address multiple environmental challenges that we face. Elizabeth’s research has uncovered, and articulated, the challenges that are hindering us in meeting this potential. She has clearly demonstrated that the current fiscal system, which was adopted from commercial forestry, is a critical barrier to the wider adoption of the Native Woodland Scheme by farmers.”
Elizabeth’s research is part of the Kinsella Challenge-Based E3 Multi-Disciplinary Project, FOREST, with collaborating PIs, MSc and PhD students from Trinity’s Schools of Natural Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science and Statistics, and the Trinity Business School. For more information about the project, see: https://www.tcd.ie/e3/forest/