acres scheme

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We have limited stock available! Register your interest using the form below for a chance to secure your spot. Availability is extremely limited, and registrations will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Act now to avoid missing out on this exclusive opportunity. We will contact registered individuals directly with further details.


Clarenbridge Garden Centre ACRES Scheme 2023-2027

Clarenbridge Garden Centre promotes biodiversity by offering the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) to farmers in Ireland. Additionally, the financial support scheme worth €1.5 billion aims to reverse the decline of biodiversity. Moreover, the Agricultural Department has approved us as providers of approved native plants, and furthermore, we possess over twenty years of experience in the area.

Tree Planting

Clarenbridge Garden Centre can help farmers to plant trees on their farms to sequester carbon, support biodiversity, and reduce soil erosion. Moreover, planting trees also enhances the visual appearance of the farm landscape, provides shelter and shade for livestock, and increases water retention. However, to participate, you must follow specific requirements, including purchasing trees from DAFM registered professional operators with Irish Origin or Irish Provenance. Additionally, you need to ensure a minimum tree height of 60cm and maintain a spacing of at least 4 meters between each tree. Furthermore, it is important to promptly replace any failed or dead trees to meet the guidelines.

Requirements:

1.  You must complete planting trees by 31 March 2024.
2. Select the LPIS parcel(s) for the tree planting action by drawing one point on the map. Then enter the number of trees that will be planted on the chosen parcel(s) in the quantity box provided.
3. The minimum number of trees to be delivered is 100 where this action is taken as a priority action and 10 where it is taken as a general action. The maximum number that can be delivered is 300 trees.
4. Do not plant in the vicinity of overhead wires, within 20m of railway lines and within 60m of a neighbouring dwelling house. For the clearance distance for overhead lines.
5. Plants must be of Irish Origin or Irish Provenance and purchased from DAFM registered professional operators.
6. All trees purchased for this action must have an accompanying plant passport and participants must ensure that they retain the plant passport(s) for the duration of the contract.
7. Purchased trees must be a minimum of 60cm in height.
8. Plant at least 3 native tree species, of which not more than 25 per cent of trees are planted to be the Scots pine.
9. Maintain at least 4-metre spacing between each tree.
10. Fit each tree (except Scots Pine) with a staked tree shelter, minimum 75cm in height and fence trees off with appropriate fencing.
11. If using individual barbed protectors for parkland or rows, the staked tree shelter and fencing are not required.
12. Grass and competing vegetation must be controlled around the trees annually. It will be necessary, from time to time, to lift the tree shelter and remove any weeds/grass that may be growing within the shelter.
13. Failed or dead trees must be replaced during the next dormant season.

Hedgerow Planting

Furthermore, Clarenbridge Garden Centre can assist farmers in planting hedgerows that provide numerous advantages. These benefits encompass crop protection, water quality preservation, carbon sequestration, and the creation of wildlife habitats. In order to meet the specified requirements, the newly established hedge should consist of a minimum of 5 plants per meter, arranged in a double staggered row configuration. Additionally, a variety of at least 3 species from the Hedgerow species is essential. It is important to note that DAFM-registered professional operators are responsible for providing plants of Irish Origin or Irish Provenance, and they are obligated to replace any plants that fail or die.

Requirements:

1. Plant by 31 March 2024, min continuous length 10m & max length for payment is 750m.
2. Must be marked on the map, & not be placed against an existing hedgerow, stone wall or under treeline/woodland.
3. The new hedge must consist of at least 5/metre in a double staggered row with a mix of at least 3 species from the Hedgerow species. No one
species must make up more than 85% of the total.
4. Plants must be of Irish Origin or Irish Provenance & from DAFM-registered professional operators.
5. All plants have plant passports, retained for the duration of the contract.
6. All newly planted hedgerows in a grass or tillage field must be protected from livestock.
7. Grass & weeds are controlled annually.
8. Failed or dead plants must be replaced in the following planting season.

Hedgerow requirements

Hedgerows are the dominant habitat on most Irish farms; however, the quality of many hedgerows is poor. Moreover, good quality hedgerows provide multiple benefits. These benefits include crop protection, shelter and shade for livestock, improved biosecurity, water quality protection, carbon sequestration, pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinators, nesting, chick rearing and feeding resources for birds. Additionally, they are important foraging habitat for mammals, including all Irish bats.

Furthermore, hedgerows are critically important as wildlife habitats and act as vital nature corridors connecting habitats throughout the landscape.

To maximize biodiversity, additionally, a mix of escaped hedgerows (side trimmed only) and topped hedgerows over 1.8 metres in height, with a wide base and some thorn trees left to mature along the hedgerow, will have the greatest benefit.

Requirements:

There is no requirement to cut hedgerows in ACRES parcels. However, if cutting manages them during the course of the contract, the following rules apply.

If the height of existing hedges exceeds 1.8 meters, you can cut/trim them as long as you do not cut them below 1.8 meters from ground level (or top of bank where applicable). If existing hedges are less than 1.8 metres, do NOT cut or trim. Roadside hedgerows, hedgerows on external farm boundaries, newly established hedgerows (less than 10 years old), recently coppiced or laid hedgerows, and hedgerows located in Breeding Wader hotspot mapped areas are the only exceptions.

NATIVE FRUIT TREES

To support biodiversity and, in addition, help ensure the survival of traditional Irish apple varieties.

People have been growing apple trees in Ireland for many centuries, and they have significantly altered the native genetic pool to incorporate a number of modern varieties. This measure endeavours to conserve the authenticity of traditional apple tree varieties while also sustaining their heritage, by only growing trees that were once common to Irish soils.

Requirements:

1.  Plant 10 traditional fruit trees to create an orchard of at least 0.05 hectares. You can only plant trees during the dormant season (October to March).
2.  Identify and mark the location of the orchard on the LPIS parcel selected and submit it on the map.
3.  Erect a fit-for-purpose permanent fence to separate the orchard from livestock. However, grazing with sheep inside the fence is allowed as long as it doesn’t cause damage to the trees. If damage is caused by rabbits/hares, take measures to prevent further damage by erecting a rabbit-proof fence or using tree guards.
4.  Space the trees at least 5 metres apart.
5.  Purchase plants from DAFM-registered professional operators.
6.  Retain the accompanying plant passport for all trees purchased for this action throughout the contract.
7.  Prohibit the use of pesticides, except for spot-treating noxious and invasive weeds.
8.  Control grass and other competing vegetation around the trees until they become established.
9.  Replace any failed or dead trees during the next planting season.

planting trees in a riparian buffer zone

To protect water quality by enhancing nutrient uptake while also supporting biodiversity. In some situations, moreover, new riparian buffer zones will benefit from the planting of appropriate tree species. This addition will enhance erosion interception and provide improved bank stability. Additionally, tree roots and canopies will intercept subsurface and aerial pollutant pathways.

Requirements:

1. Select a Riparian buffer zone where tree planting will benefit water quality.
2. Select the Riparian buffer zone(s) for planting trees by drawing one point on the zone. Then enter the number of trees that will be planted in the chosen zone(s) in the quantity box provided.
3. You must deliver a minimum of 10 trees and can deliver a maximum of 200 trees.
4. You must complete planting trees by 31 March 2024.
5. Plants must be of Irish Origin or Irish Provenance and purchased from DAFM-registered professional operators.
6. All plants purchased for this action must have an accompanying plant passport and participants must ensure that they retain the plant passport(s) for the duration of the contract.
7. Purchased trees must be a minimum of 60cm in height.
8. Plant at least 2 species from the list available on their website.
9. Do not plant in the vicinity of overhead wires, within 20m of railway lines and within 60m of a neighbouring dwelling house. for clearance distance for overhead lines.
10. Fit a staked tree shelter that is a minimum of 75cm in height to each tree and use appropriate fencing to protect trees from livestock damage. Livestock cannot access a Riparian Buffer Zone – Grassland or Arable.

11. Annually, you must control grass and competing vegetation around the trees. It will be necessary, from time to time, to lift the tree shelter and remove any weeds/grass that may be growing within the shelter.

12. You must replace failed or dead trees during the next dormant season.
13. There must not be more than 200 trees planted per hectare. For example, you can plant a maximum of 20 trees in 0.1 hectares. The minimum spacing between trees is 2 metres.

tree belts for ammonia capture from farmyards

To protect water quality by enhancing nutrient uptake while also supporting biodiversity. In some situations, moreover, new riparian buffer zones will benefit from the planting of appropriate tree species. This addition will enhance erosion interception and provide improved bank stability. Additionally, tree roots and canopies will intercept subsurface and aerial pollutant pathways.

Requirements:

1. You can deliver this action on a full or split LPIS parcel. If you choose a split LPIS, you must digitize and mark the action on the submitted map.

2. The minimum depth of the shelterbelt is 30 metres. The minimum parcel area is 0.18 hectares and the maximum area for payment is 0.5 hectares (which includes the area of the tree belt planted and the perimeter fencing).
3. The tree belt planting deadline is 31 March 2024.

4. The tree belt must be fenced off to protect from livestock at least 1.5 metres out from the perimeter trees.

5. Purchased trees must be a minimum of 60cm in height and planted at a minimum 3-metre spacing between each tree.
6. A minimum number of trees is 1 per 10m2 of tree belt area.
7. Plants must be of Irish Origin or Irish Provenance and purchased from DAFM-registered professional operators.
8. All trees purchased for this action must have an accompanying plant passport and participants must ensure that they retain the plant passport(s) for the duration of the contract.
9. Plant at least 3 species from the table provided on their website. below of which not more than 25 per cent of the total trees planted be Scots pine.
10. You must control grass and competing vegetation around the trees annually as required.
11. Planting cannot take place within the vicinity of overhead wires, within 20 m of the railway line(s) or within 60 m of neighbouring dwellings. The maximum distance from the livestock shed to the tree belt is 50m.

Additional ACRES Scheme Information

Advisors

Advisors can check the information by clicking HERE.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We’ve done a summary to clear out some of your doubts about the scheme. Attached are relevant links and contact information.

There are two options you can apply to. Below you have the basic information of each:

The ACRES General approach is open to all categories of active farmers eligible in the defined mapped area for ACRES General.

The ACRES Co-operation approach is open to all categories of active farmers eligible in the defined mapped area for ACRES Co-operation Project (CP) zones (shown as colour-coded zones on the map below).

Both General and Co-operation require an ACRES advisor to complete and submit a Farm Sustainability Plan.

Farmers can check in this LINK under the ‘ACRES Access Agreement’ button or by texting the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on 50124 with the message ‘DAFM ACRES’ followed by their herd number.

There are different zones and teams for each one of them. See the map and contacts below:

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acres scheme
acres scheme

ELiGIBILITY

  • Additionally, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

    1. Firstly, they must be over 18 years old on the date of submission of the application.
    2. Secondly, they must be the holder of an active business identity, with ‘owner’ status being required for herd management.
    3. Moreover, all lands farmed must be declared in the applicant’s name on the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS).
    4. Lastly, it is essential that the applicant has submitted a valid BPS 2021 application. For further details, please refer to the information available HERE.

Moreover, the payment rates for the actions selected and undertaken satisfactorily will determine the level of payment a farmer may achieve. Furthermore, it is important to note that more information can be found HERE.

Moreover, it is crucial to understand that you can only have one government funding. However, in case you are participating in other environmental schemes, you can apply for the ACRES. Nonetheless, if approved, you may have payments adjusted in either scheme to ensure no double funding takes place.

If you have any doubts, you can get in contact with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for further clarification.

rates of payment

  • ACRES General offers a maximum of €7,311 a year. Additionally, the level of payment a farmer may achieve will be determined by the payment rates for the actions selected and undertaken satisfactorily.

  • Co-operation offers a maximum of €10,500 a year. In addition, there is a maximum results-based payment of €7,000. Furthermore, there is an extra non-productive investment and a landscape maximum of €3,500. The level of payment will be determined by results-based scorecards, non-productive investments, and landscape actions. These mechanisms will be designed specifically for different land types and regions.

Additionally, HERE  contains all the information about the Acres Scheme.

contact us and we'll be happy to help

Phone Number: 091 776 492

Email: info@clarenbridgegardencentre.ie

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