mawaskow/irish_forestry_incentives huggingface dataset:
With Moneypoint emitting approximately 44 Mt of CO2 per annum, accounted for under the EU-ETS scheme, reconfiguration to end the burning of coal in Moneypoint by 2025 would drive significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the period beyond 2025Assuming coal is unlikely to be part of future generation at Moneypoint, any replacement generation will have significantly lower carbon intensity than current generation from the site and could facilitate repurposing of some existing infrastructure at the siteOptions to replace the current generation, which makes up 163% of Ireland’s total electricity generation capacity, are currently being assessed against a number of criteria, including commercial, technical, regulatory and sustainability criteriaBord na Móna is currently co-firing its peat station at Edenderry with biomass in line with its stated ambition to replace large scale peat production with alternative energy sources by 2030.
To support this, DCCAE, through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, began a Deep Retrofit Pilot Scheme in 2017 to determine the optimum approach to incentivise deeper levels of renovation, beyond the existing models, post-2020Deep retrofitting involves a significant reduction in building’s energy requirements and permits the realisation of the mitigation potential associated with the built environment.
The main actions planned to achieve this are securing an early transition to zero/low-emission vehicles in the private and public fleets and setting targets for substantial progress in phasing out the Internal Combustion Engine and replacing it with Electric Vehicles/other alternative fuels through schemes to incentivise Low-Emission VehiclesTo complement this planned investment, a total of €86 billion is to be invested in sustainable mobility under National Strategic Outcome 4.
To support this, Gas Networks Ireland is managing a project called ‘The Causeway Study: Impact of CNG on the Irish Gas Network’, co-funded by the European Union, which will, inter alia , facilitate both private and public access to a national network of CNG refuelling stationsOn 21 May 2018, a joint venture between Gas Networks Ireland and Clean Ireland Recycling produced Ireland’s first private fast-fill CNG station at the Clean Ireland Recycling premises in Shannon, Co. Clare.
In order to support the achievement of climate action goals, the policy objective is an approach to carbon neutrality for agriculture and land use including forestry that does not compromise sustainable food production.
Examples of schemes within the RDP which have a specific climate focus include the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) and the Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS).
BDGP entails farmers undertaking a six-year commitment to carry out pre-defined actions to deliver a more climate friendly suckler herd.
For example, GLAS includes actions targeted at reducing emissions levels (such as support for low-emissions slurry spreading to be applied to 160,000 hectares and minimum tillage practices to be applied to 28,000 hectares) and sequestration actions (such as planting of 6,500 hectares of new hedgerows).
The RDP and in particular both of these schemes (the BDGP and GLAS) will provide measurable climate related benefits for Ireland and Irish agricultureIreland’s forests play an essential role in helping with climate change mitigation, through carbon sequestration in forests and the provision of renewable fuels and raw materials.
Irish forestry is a major carbon sink and afforestation is one of the most significant mitigation options that is available to Ireland to help meet its EU climate targets.
Climate change mitigation also occurs when forest-based biomass replaces fossil fuels for heating or power generation.
Local Government, supported by the recent establishment of the Climate Action Regional Offices, will also be tackling this challenge and will be working with these sectors in implementing climate resilience at the local/regional levelClimate Action Regional OfficesIn launching the National Adaptation Framework in January 2018, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment also announced funding of €10 million over a five year period to establish four Local Authority Climate Action Regional Offices to support the implementation of national climate policy.
The regional offices will enable a more coordinated engagement across the whole of government and will play a key role in contributing to Ireland’s low-carbon climate-resilient transition, including in assisting with the preparation of local adaptation strategies by each local authority3637We also need to look at how best to partner and collaborate with the private sector in terms of achieving climate resilience – how do we enable businesses to provide leadership within the sector and how do we capture the benefits of doing so for both our economy and society as a whole?
Further innovation and new measures will include: Forestry Programme 2014-2020 providing grants and / or annual premiums for establishment, development and reconstitution of forests, woodland improvement, native woodland conservation
In order to prepare the sector for this requirement a number of training and capacity building seminars were held in May and in September 2018 supported by the Climate Ireland research team based in the marine and renewable energy research and development centre (MaREI), University College Cork
Gas Networks Ireland also offer a CNG Vehicle Fund, which makes up to €20,000 available to businesses to support the purchase of commercial CNG vehicles
The necessary transformation will not be achieved exclusively by public investment and Government will need to deploy the full range of actions available to us to drive sustained and often difficult policy changes across all of areas of our activity including taxation, regulation and behavioural change.
Specifically, the National Policy Position sets out a long-term vision based on: ➤an aggregate reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of at least 80% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050 across the electricity generation, built environment and transport sectors; and ➤in parallel, an approach to carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land-use sector, including forestry, which does not compromise capacity for sustainable food production.
They must also be closely aligned and mutually reinforcing in terms of the critical role of complementary taxation and regulatory measures, as well as private investmentPrivate-sector investment will have a crucial role to play in the achievement of a low-carbon climate-resilient transition, alongside the substantial contribution made through public investment.
State-owned enterprises are expected to invest in excess of €13 billion in energy-related investments, with a particular focus on investment in regulated energy network infrastructure to provide smart, reliable electricity networks to support security of electricity supply, smart metering and enable increased renewable generation.
Energy efficiency will also realise benefits for air quality, health, social inclusion, business competitiveness and better public services, all of which will make a real and positive impact on people’s livesPlanned National Development Plan investment of €4 billion in the period 2018 to 2030, along with taxation and regulatory measures, would see a very significant change in the energy performance in the residential sector, with upgrades to homes increasing from 30,000 to 45,000 per annum from 202124SEAI Deep Retrofit Pilot SchemeThe Government’s 2015 Energy White Paper, the National Mitigation Plan and the Long Term Renovation Strategy all recognise the fact that extensive renovation of our building stock will need to take place in order to meet both national and international targets for energy savings and emissions reduction by 2050.
This funding is supporting the development and implementation of a significant existing flood relief investment programme which includes eight major flood relief schemes under construction and 26 schemes under design and at planning to protect 11,200 properties.
Major projects included in the existing programme include Lower Lee (Cork City), Skibbereen, Enniscorthy, Bandon, Clonakilty, Claregalway, and Athlone Flood Relief Schemes.
The Government is committed to the policy objective of delivering further capital works/flood relief schemes to minimise the impacts of river and coastal flooding on society through the roll-out of the 29 Flood Risk Management Plans.
The 29 plans include proposed flood relief schemes which will need to be prioritised.
Schemes will range from very large schemes costing in excess of €15 million each to smaller schemes that can be progressed by the Local Authorities with funding available from the OPW.
Ireland’s National Forest Inventory 20 22 – Results Covering the National Forest Inventory, 20 20 to 20 22 ______________________________ Published by : Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Johnstown Castle Estate Co. Wex ford Ireland Y35 PN52 Roinn Talmhaíochta , Bia agus Mara Eastát Chaisleán Bhaile Sheonach Co. Loch Garman Éire Y35 PN52 To be purchased from : GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS MOUNTSHANNON ROAD DUBLIN 8 D08 XA06 (Tel: 046 942 3100 or Email: publications@opwie ) or through any bookselle r Le ceannach díreach ó FOILSEACHÁIN RIALTAIS BÓTHAR BHAILE UÍ BHEOLÁIN BAILE ÁTHA CLIATH 8.
D08 XA06 (Teil: 046 942 3100 nó Riomhphost: publications@opwie ) nó trí aon díoltóir leabhar _______________ _______________ Price: €15 ISBN 978-1-4468-8090-6 © Government of Ireland, 20 23 First published : 20-02-2023 Last updated: 16-06-2023 The Dep artment of Agricu lture, Food and the Marine is Ireland’s national forest authority.
It is responsible for the regulation of the f orestry sector, the administration of forestry gra nt sche mes, forest protection, the control of felling and the promotion and s upport of forest research.
Corrections • One NFI plot was excluded from Deforestation in error due to a mis -classification .
As a result the area that went from forest to non -forest has increased from 4,791 to 5,19 6 ha (28 February 2023 ).
Abstract i ABSTRACT The 2006 NFI was the f irst statistical and multi -resource inventory carried out on the national forest e state.
In order to assess changes in the forest estate over time repeated assessments a re required.
On all occa sions multi -resource information was recorded including infor mation on forest area and species composition, growing stock (m3), biodiversity, health , and carbon content; for the entire national forest estate.
The repeated NFI cycles ha ve provided results o n aspects such as forest area change, volume increment and la test felling volume estimates.
This facilitates the assessment of changes in the state of Ireland’s forests over time.
The forest estate is still expanding and has now reach ed 116% of the total land area, with a wide variety of forest types present.
This is the largest ever study of flood risk in Ireland and has delivered: ➤29 Flood Risk Management Plans that set out c 118 other major and minor capital projects in addition to those already included in the existing programme; and ➤flood maps for the flood risk in each of these areas that will support planning and emergency response management.
The total forest area has increased from 697,842 hectares (ha) in 2006 to 808,848 ha in 2022.
The increase in area is a result of afforestation and development of semi -natural forests.
Between 2006 and 2022 semi -natural forests are responsible for one -third (3 31%) of the new forest areas captured.
For the first time, over half (411,484 ha or 509%) of forests are in private ownership and 397,364 ha (491%) in public ownership.
T he share of private forests in the national forest estate has incre ased by 79% s ince 2006.
Leitrim is the county with the highest percentage of forest cover (201%), w hile Cork has the largest forest area (92,471 ha).
Conifer species are the dominant sp ecies present, repre senting 69 4% of the stocked forest area while broadleaved sp ecies accounted for 306% of the area.
The age -profile of the forest estate is increasing with 396% of the stocked forest estate is les s than 20 year s of age and 304% between the ages of 21 and 30 years.
The total growing stock volum e of Irish forests is estimated to be over 142 million m³, an increase of over 255 mill ion m³ since 2017.
T he private forests share of the total growing s tock volume ha s increased from 444% in 2012 to 491% in 2017.
The total growing stock volume consist s mostly of spruce and pine species however there is a significant quantity of growing s tock present in olde r broadleaf forests.
In term s of the th inning status, 183% of forests have been thinned at least once.
Less than half (403%) of forests are juvenile (ie at a maturity stage where they could not be thinned) and a further 17% was also deemed not suitable for thi nning as it was clas sified as s emi-natural or low stocking.
Forests play an important role in mitigating climate change by sequesterin g and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Irish forests are a rich resource of biodiversity providing important and abundant habitats for many non-tree plant species and lichens frequent across the forest estate.
Over half ( 599%) of the forest area has vegeta tion coverage of greater than 90%, e xcluding the tree species present.
There are significant proportions of open areas and areas with natural regeneration present, the latter particularly so in the ol der private forest e state.
Over three quarters (77%) of Ireland’s forests have tw o or more t ree species present.
While nea rly two -thirds (632%) o f stocked f orest areas displayed signs of forest damage, the severity of the damage was low.
Abiotic damage was recorded on 469% of the forest area and biotic damage was reco rded on 362% of the forest area.
The ma jority (616%) of forests occur on mineral soils, with the remaining 384% on peats .
Over the last 40 years, the afforestation of peats has decrease significantly.
Key S tatistics 2006 2012 2017 2022 Total Forest Area (ha) 697,842 731,652 770,020 808,848 Mean Basal Area (m2/ha) 202 253 275 298 Mean Growing stock ( m3/ha) 112 148 170 200 Growing stock (million m3) 719 975 1165 1420 Gross Increment Volume (mill .
33 318 Stocked forest area by European Forest Type and forest establishment type  35 319 Stocked forest area by European Forest Type and pruning status .
38 322 Stocked forest area by ownership and num ber of environmental designations  39 33 Availability of Wood Supply .
42 332 Stocked forest area by availability of wood for supply and restriction class  43 Ireland’s National For est Inventory 20 22 iv Chapter 4 .
One qua rter (244%) o f forests are categorised as “no thin”, which in theory is defined by the forest maturi ty stage where it could be thinned but has not been thinned due to a variety of factors such as high windthr ow risk, ec onomic factors, owner intentions or thinning may b e imminent.
Nearly one -quarter (307%) of all forests are growing on highly productive gley soils while 419% of Priva te (grant aided) forests occur on the se soils, reflecting for estry’s mov e onto more productive soils since the mid to late 1980’s.
45 411 Stocked forest area by ownership and broad species group (conifer/broadleaf)  46 412 Stocked forest area by county and species group (conifer/broadleaf) .
47 413 Stocked forest area b y ownership and species type (native/non -native) .
68 512 Stocked forest area by age class (10 yr) and species group (broadleaf/conifer)  69 513 Stocked forest area b y age class (10 yr) and species group .
88 713 Total growing stock volume by ownership and Forest Available for Wood Supply  90 72 Species .
111 742 Normalised mean growing stock volume per he ctare by ownership and species group  112 743 Normalised mean of growing stock volume per hectare by spe cies group and age class (10 yr) 113 744 Mean tree volume by species group and diameter class (5 cm) .
Juvenile and Not applicable)  120 813 Stocked forest area by develo pment stage and thin status (excl.
126 834 Mean ann ual standing volume felled by harvest type and age class (10yr)  127 84 Mean tree size .
128 841 Mean annual standing volume fel led by harvest type and mean tree volume  128 842 Mean tree volume felled by species group .
133 912 Weighted mean tree Dbh increment by species group and age class (10 yr)  134 92 Height .
136 921 Weighted mean tree height increment b y species group and ownership .
136 922 Weighted mean tree height increment by species group and age class (10yr)  137 93 Gross volume increment .
145 94 Net annual volume increment per hectare in the stocked forest .
152 1011 Forest area by ownership and deadwood presence .
160 1031 Total standing deadwood volum e by ow nersh ip and tree status .
168 1112 Total tree carbon stock by ownership and species group .
171 Forest Health and Vitality .
171 121 Forest damage presen ce .
172 1211 Forest area by forest damage presence .
173 1221 Total forest area by ownership and abiotic damage agent t ype .
174 1223 Forest area by ownership and abiotic da mage se verity .
177 1231 Forest area by ownership and biotic damage agent type .
178 1233 Forest are a by biotic damage agent and severity of damage .
181 1241 Total number of conifer trees by species group a nd degree of defoliation  182 125 Discolouration .
183 1251 Total number of conifer trees by species group and discolouration ty pe  183 1252 Total number of trees by species group and discolouration trend .
184 1253 Total number of trees by species group and degree of discolouration .
187 1261 Total number of oak and beech trees assessed for height by b roadleaf vitality  187 127 Social status and competition .
188 1271 Total number of trees by social status (Kraft) and species g roup (Dbh>7cm)  188 1272 Total number of trees by slenderness ratio and species group (Dbh>7cm)  190 Chapter 13 .
194 1311 Stocked forest ar ea by to tal number of non -tree plant species and ownership  194 1312 Stocked forest area by total numb er of non -tree plant species and Eur opean Forest Type  195 1313 Stocked forest area by total numb er of n on-tree plant species and thin status  196 1314 Stocked forest area by total number of non -tree plant species a nd development stage  197 1315 Stocked forest area by total number of plant species and establishment type  199 1316 Stocked f orest area by total number of non -tree plant species and soil group  200 132 Plant Diversity .
I f there is mor e than one species present , the plant distribution may follow a p redefined structure eg planting in groups 1.
Basal area is the term used in forest management that defines th e area of a giv en section of land that is occupi ed by the cross -section of tree stems at he ight of 13 m from the tree base.
As stated above, t he draft CAP Strategic Plan 2023 -2027 will apply to the entire national territory (including offshore islands), although Member States are intended to have autonomy to define specific eligibility requirements across its breadth of schemes and programmes.
The term reasonable is not defined in the Directive.
The Convention also seeks to define a European standard of protection for architectural heritage and to create legal obligations that the signatories undertake to implement.
[URL] govie/media/migration/forestry/publicconsultation/forestryfreshwaterpearlmussel/RevNATURAImpactStatememtForestsFPM100718pdf [URL] Water Drinking Water Regulations SI 439 of 2000 Prescribe quality standards to be applied in relation to certain supplies of drinking water, including requirements as to sampling frequency, methods of analysis, the provision of information to consumers and 55 Policy, plan or programme Summary of objectives Was this subject to SEA and AA ?
[URL] -draft -national -policy -framework -on-alternative -fuels -infrastructure -/ Land -Use Draft National Landscape Strategy for Ireland 2015 -2025 Integrates environmental protection policies and actions across a number of sectors including for example forestry, agriculture, land use planning, energy, transport, and telecommunications.
It provides sustainability assessments and accreditation/verification for 53000 farms and 320 food/drink companies representing 90% of food/drink export and more than 70% of domestic retailers.
Our overarching objectives are: to optimise M. bovis WGS to facilitat e integration with routine M. bovis culture; to develop the computa tional tools that summarise the genomic da ta in the context of existing cattle and wildlife population databases; to use WGS to estimate transmission rates of M. bovis within and between ca ttle and wildlife populations; and to combine RoI and NI WGS data t o define the population of M. bovis on the island of Ireland.
Chlorine based detergents represent common approaches used to disinfect water and assist in cleaning milk contact equipment on -farm and in food processing plants.
HortAssure aims to support the horticulture industry in mitigating risks associated with microbiological and chemi cal contami nation in horticultural food crops, through provision of evidence based knowledge regarding sources of contamination and assessment of validated technologies and alternatives to mitigate the identified risks in a sustainable and affordable manne r. HortAssu re will define where critical issues arise for both microbial and chemical contaminants in horticultural crop production.
In addition, supporting infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, retail outlets and industrial buildings, will be required.
There is an urgent need to support, with robust scient ific data, the “More than 80% Grass Diet” guarantee and, more widely, the extent of Ireland’s grass -based production and the uniqueness of the products that arise from it.
Dr. Denis Griffin Teagasc Oakpark Co. Carlow Lead Institution: Teagasc Collaborating Institutions: Dublin Institute of Technology - TU Dublin Limerick Institute of Technology University College Dublin DAFM National Call 2017 CREDIT - Cadium: Reduce, Evaluate, Detect, Inform with Technologies.
In addition, it will define a research paradigm and strategy that can be used for comparable studies of intracellular microbial infections such as Johne’s disease in cattle caused by M. avium subsp.
Potential novel peptides from potato extract on MPS will be defined in vitro.
This is relevant to the CAP Strategic Plan 2023 -2027 and SEA in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the provision of biomass materials and agricultural by -products, as well as reducing energy use at farm level SOE 10: Environmentally sustainable Agriculture An agriculture and food sector that demonstrates validated performance around producing food with a low environmental footprint This is a core element of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023 -2027 (Strategic Objectives 4, 5 6 and 9) and is further supported through the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 SOE 11: Water Services Drinking water and wastewater infrastructure must m eet the needs of our society.
In the absence of abatemen t strategies, ammonia emissions are forecast to increase which ma y result either in substantial fines or the imposition of a de-facto quota based on emission levels.
The guarantee to supply beef from animals with a “More than 80% Grass Diet” is based on mandatory recording by producers/farmers of the level and t iming of various feed inputs (grass, silage, cereal concentrates, etc) under the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef & Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) and transmission of this information to meat processors who ultimately make the decision on whether or not the beef i s suitable for the US market.
Impact: • Define prevalence of chronic malnutrition and sarcopenia.
Experimental a pproach: We will use a combination of in vitro and pre --clinical models, and human dietary challenge to test the ability of defined food ingredients to modulate microbiota diversity, to promote appropriate innate immune function, and to modulate inflammati on-- related disorders like type 2 diabetes.
Best management practices for increasing the productivity of gras sland on heavy wet land with little or no increase in environmental impact will be defined.