The Native Woodland Conservation Scheme promotes the appropriate restoration of existing native woodland, through the provision of financial support to forest owners towards the cost of appropriate works. The Native Woodland Conservation Scheme: 2023-2027 was launched by Minster Pippa Hackett on Monday 12th February 2024. The NWC scheme takes over from the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme 2014-2020.
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“The Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (DAFM) operates a package of measures under the Forestry Programme 2023-2027, aimed specifically at promoting the proactive protection and expansion of Ireland’s native woodland resource.
These measures, which include afforestation, emergent woodland, native woodland restoration, and reforestation with native woodland, represent a key biodiversity component within Ireland’s national forest policy. The Native Woodland Conservation Scheme promotes the appropriate restoration of existing native woodland, through the provision of financial support to forest owners towards the cost of appropriate works. This measure has been developed and implemented in partnership with Woodlands of Ireland, the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), the Heritage Council, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and other native woodland stakeholders and is supported by training for those working with the scheme, and a continuously-evolving package of supporting literature (see Annex 4 for available resources). It is envisaged that this measure will continue to develop over the coming years, based on the ongoing partnership, experiences gained, and evolving priorities.
This document sets out the terms and conditions of the Native Woodland Conservation Scheme (the NWC Scheme) (note the change from the previous abbreviation of ‘NWS Conservation’), and also the silvicultural standards that apply. This document should be read in conjunction with the Forestry Standards Manual, which is available along with various circulars at www.gov.ie/forestry/
Various terms used in this document are defined in Annex 1. Other documents that will be of interest to Applicants considering engaging with the NWC Scheme include:
- Management Guidelines for Ireland’s Native Woodlands (Cross & Collins, 2017) (available at www.woodlandsofireland.com/management-guidelines-for-irelands-native-woodlands); and
- the series of Native Woodland Information Notes published by Woodlands of Ireland and addressing various aspects of native woodland ecology and management, such as (e.g.) the control of rhododendron, and designing and managing for deer control (see www.woodlandsofireland.com/native-woodland-information-notes/)”
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- Download the full document from the Forest Service of DAFM website – Click to Download
Native Woodland Conservation Scheme Training
Native Woodland Training Courses are held periodically by the Forest Service of DAFM in association with Woodlands of Ireland for landowners, stakeholders (i.e. statutory agency staff, nursery owners, environmental NGOs and interested individuals) and Native Woodland Conservation Scheme (NWC) practitioners (i.e. foresters, ecologists and woodland contractors). Training can entail 2-day courses that encompass a broad range of management, ecological and silvicultural topics specific to Native Woodland Conservation. The 2-day course is also a requirement for NWC foresters and ecologists to attend in order to receive accreditation to work on the NWC contracts. Please see an updated directory of registered DAFM approved Foresters and Ecologists, note the foresters that are eligible to work on NWC contracts have a box ticked on the available registered list from DAFM. (Woodlands of Ireland will endeavor to keep these list links updated) Please see Native Woodland Information Notes as supporting literature to the NWC.
If you would like to be added to the waiting list for upcoming NWC training days please email info@woodlandsofireland.com with your name, location and contact number.