Nevertheless, the value of Ireland's growing farm forests should never be underestimated, and, according to Noel Kennedy, forestry development officer at the Forestry Development Unit in Teagasc, the diverse nature of today's farm forests provides farming families with a range of practical and environmental benefits now and into the future.

The first issue is making farmers aware of how good planning and forest design (together with effective management) further enhances the farm environment - and how it will also help us to develop a wood culture. The benefits of a properly planned forest go beyond simple economics, encompassing elements such as landscape, wildlife, shelter, carbon storage and water quality, as well as some immediate business concerns such as wood production and rural tourism.

"With good planning and design, a farm forest can blend sympathetically into the rural landscape, while farm forests are homes for a variety of wild plants and animals, " says Kennedy.

"Well planned farm forestry achieves two objectives - firstly, it increases the range of plants and animals living in the forest, and secondly, it produces quality commercial timber. Hedgerows and scrub act as important wildlife corridors as well as enhancing biodiversity, and our native trees such as Oak, Willow, Birch and Rowan are home to the greatest range of Ireland's wildlife."

Another major environmental advantage to planting a farm forest is the positive impact it can have on decreasing our overall dependence on fossil fuel - and decreasing the damage done to the environment through burning these fuels.

"Spiralling oil prices remind us that we are gradually running out of non-renewable fossil fuels, " says Kennedy.

"Wood energy is energy produced from burning timber harvested in our farm forests without contributing to global warming. It offers a valuable new market for forestry with the crucial advantage of being a renewable and sustainable source of heat, electricity and bio-fuel."

Of course, in order to maximise the value of these forests in terms of commercial timber, regular thinning of the forest (and eventual clear felling) must be carried out. But the harvesting of forests is subject to strict controls to protect water quality and habitats and to encourage the rapid re-establishment of wild bird, mammal and insect populations - which is crucial for rural tourism.

"With a little foresight and good forest design, it's feasible to accommodate reasonable access and recreational requirements, " says Kennedy. "The new Forest Environment Protection Scheme (FEPS) encourages farmers who are in REPS (the Rural Environment Protection Scheme) to plant high nature-value woodland with options to provide recreational access for the public and/or educational access for local schools. In addition, shooting and fishing are popular and traditional sports in rural Ireland and many farm forests offer ideal locations for these sporting pursuits."

FEPS aims to grow a farm forest with enhanced environmental characteristics while also producing quality saleable timber. In addition to the normal afforestation premium, a FEPS premium of up to Euro200 per hectare will be available to farmers in REPS who plant under the FEPS scheme. The afforestation scheme which is available to all landowners, also strongly emphasises environment enhancement.

"In conclusion, farm forests offer us a number of environmental, practical and economic benefits, " says Kennedy. "At an environmental level they improve biodiversity, enhance habitats and reduce the threat from global warming. At a practical level forests provide timber, fuel for wood energy and shelter for livestock, crops and buildings.

Finally at an economic level they offer supplementary farm income through the sale of timber, wood energy savings and opportunities for rural tourism. So when you go down to the woods today open your eyes and see the wood from the trees."

If you want to know more about farm forestry log onto www. client. teagasc. ie/forestr y or contact your local Teagasc forestry development officer