Planting is a permanent decision. The land has to stay as forest, and trees that are cut have to be replanted. So the premiums are best read as the price of changing what the land is for, not a bonus on top of farming it.
Quick facts
- Runs
- 2023 to 2027
- Forest types
- 14
- Grant paid
- 75% after planting, 25% after 4 years
- Premiums
- 20 years for farmers, 15 for others
- Native forest (FT1)
- €6,744 grant · €1,103 a year
- Apply through
- A registered forester
What it pays
The grant comes in two parts. The first, after planting: "This payment is worth 75% of the overall grant." The second, 4 years later, once the forest is established: "This is 25% of the overall grant."
Then there are yearly premiums. "You also get yearly premiums. The value and number of premiums you get depends on the type of forest you plant and whether you are a farmer."
Some of the rates per hectare, as grant and then yearly premium:
- Native forests (FT1): €6,744 grant, €1,103 a year
- Diverse broadleaf (FT7): €4,314 grant, €973 a year
- Mixed forest with Sitka spruce (FT12): €3,858 grant, €746 a year
- Agroforestry (FT8): €8,555 grant, €975 a year, for 10 years
- Emergent forest (FT5): €2,500 grant, €350 a year
Most types pay 20 premiums to farmers and 15 to non-farmers. Agroforestry pays 10 to both. For a farmer planting native forest, 20 premiums come to €22,060 a hectare, before the grant.
"You may also be able to get an additional allowance for fencing."
Who can apply
"You don't have to be a farmer to apply." You must be over 18, have a PPS number (or a company number), and own, lease or jointly manage the land.
You must plant and keep one of the 14 forest types in the scheme.
How to apply
"You need to hire a registered forester to submit your application for you." Talk to your Teagasc or farm advisor first about whether the land suits and how it affects your other payments.
Your forester applies for technical approval and an afforestation licence. Then financial approval. "Grant-aided projects must also receive financial approval before any work begins." Plant before that and you risk the grant.
Get quotes from several forestry companies, sign a contract with the one you choose, and use a solicitor.
The catch
"Land planted under this scheme must remain as forest and is subject to a replanting obligation." This is the part to think hardest about, especially if the land might be sold or passed on.
For small areas without a licence, the Native Tree Area Scheme is simpler. See our guide to it.
Common questions
Do I have to be a farmer for the Afforestation Scheme?
No. Citizens Information says you do not have to be a farmer to apply. Farmers get more years of premiums: 20 against 15 for most forest types.
How much is the afforestation grant for native forest?
€6,744 a hectare, plus a yearly premium of €1,103 a hectare, for forest type FT1.
When is the afforestation grant paid?
75% after planting, and the other 25% four years after planting once the forest is established.
Can I cut the forest down later?
The land must remain as forest and there is a replanting obligation, so harvested trees generally have to be replanted.
Who submits the application?
A registered forester. You need to hire one to submit it for you.
Can I start planting before approval?
No. Grant-aided projects must receive financial approval before any work begins.
- €22,060 — Native forest (FT1) for a farmer: €1,103 a year × 20 premiums = €22,060 a hectare in premiums, on top of the €6,744 grant. A non-farmer gets 15 premiums.