Planting a Grove of Native Trees

Under the GLAS scheme up to 450 native trees can be planted and will qualify for a payment of €0.90 per plant per year for 5 years.

Full details are available in the GLAS specification (PDF) but are included below for your convenience.

Action
Minimum
Max Payable Units in GLAS
Completion deadline
Payment Rate
Plant a Grove of Native trees
0.05ha / 250 plants
0.09 ha / 450 plants
31st March 2017
€0.90/plant/y

Requirements from GLAS specification

  • Establish a grove of native trees in a single location only, i.e. you cannot plant the trees in a number of locations in a LPIS parcel or field.
  • Minimum area of 0.05 ha with 250 plants and maximum area of 0.09 ha with 450 plants. The plants must be a minimum of 40cm tall when planted.
  • Identify the location on the LPIS parcel selected and mark on the map submitted.
  • Plant in the first dormant season after you receive written approval into GLAS and in any event before the 31 March 2017.
  • Use native tree species only, as listed in Appendix 4. (see below)
  • Use plants that are derived from suitable seed sources from within Ireland which are regarded as being indigenous in nature.
  • A minimum of 2 native species 4 should be planted.
  • Consider the physical conditions of each site, e.g. soil type, drainage, exposure, etc., and choose species that will succeed in such sites.
  • Planting cannot take place within the vicinity of overhead wires, within 20m of railway line(s) or within 60m of a dwelling house(s), or within 5 m of a watercourse.
  • Trees must be planted in rows 2 metres apart with a distance of 1 metre between the plants within the rows.
  • Replace failed or dead trees during the next dormant season.
  • Trees must be protected from livestock and fenced off from t he time of planting until the end of the contract.
  • Grass and other competing vegetation must be controlled around the trees, until they have become established.

Native trees listed by the GLAS Specification as eligible

Species
Characteristics
Remarks
– Alder
Suitable for wet sites. Fast growing nitrogen- fixing tree. Suitable broadleaf for even the wettest sites.
Minor forest species. Common Alder is a native tree. Coppices freely and can be used in mixtures on less fertile sites. Valuable shelter tree.
– Silver Birch
– Downy Birch
Pioneer species suited to very acid soils and peats. Fast growing, hardy species, withstands exposure and frost well. Useful as a nurse crop in mixtures but must be kept under control or it will smother a slower growing tree species.
Very attractive small tree. Minor forest species. Native tree. Young trees coppice freely. May be used as a soil improver. Can be mixed into shelterbelts.
– Sessile oak
– Pedunculate Oak
Well-aerated deep fertile loams. Will grow well on heavier soils. Slow growing, long lived tree.
Major forest species. One of our few native broadleaved trees. Very high amenity and wildlife value.
– Mountain Ash
Suitable for lowland and hill acidic sites. Will tolerate even alkaline sites Hardy tree suitable for exposed sites. Widely used amenity tree.
Minor forest species. Native tree. Offers good support for wildlife.
– Whitebeam
Most fertile mineral soils. Attractive amenity tree also suitable for shelter.
Minor forest species. Native tree. Tolerant of exposed and coastal sites.
– Wild Cherry
Fertile deep well-drained mineral soils. Preference for slightly acid soils but will do well on deep loams over limestone. Fast growing, light demanding, requiring considerable space. The only commercial broadleaved tree with attractive blossoms.
Major forest species. Native tree. May suffer from bacterial canker and aphid attack.
– Goat Willow
– Rusty Willow
– Eared Willow
– White Willow
Useful species for wet sites and streamsides. Fast growing useful for conservation and amenity but rarely for timber production. Willow can be used in a variety of ways as a shelter belt system
Minor forest species. Native tree. Attractive tree when grown as a standard tree.
– Hazel
Hazel can grow as a small tree with a single stem but is more frequently found as a multi – stemmed shrub. It has high amenity and wildlife value:
Plant a Grove of Native Trees
– Scots Pine
Scots pine is suited to light soils with fairly free drainage or milled peat cutaway bogs. It is a hardy species which is tolerant of frosts. It grows vigorously in its early years and can be used for amenity or timber production.
Forest species. Native tree. Grows well in a mixture with other species particularly oak and birch.