Forestry and Plant Health

2019-12-042019-12-062020-01-06TSO (The Stationery Office), customer.services@thegazette.co.uk34430958214

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Forest Service, an Agency of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has provided opinions on the following projects in respect of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (as amended).

An opinion under the Regulations is formed taking account of the selection criteria specified in the legislation. An opinion may be ‘relevant’ if it is considered that a project is likely to have a significant effect on the environment or ‘not relevant’ if a project is considered unlikely to have a significant effect on the environment. Each project is required to comply with the UK Forestry Standard, which describes the governments’ approach to sustainable forestry.

Reference	ERA19/20-57
Project Type	Afforestation
Location	Beaghs, Slieveanorra Forest
Grid Reference	D163 276
Area	44 hectares
Project Description	Planting of native woodland
Opinion	Not relevant.
	Grassland to be converted to forestry. No rare habitats or other important biodiversity or cultural features will be affected by this project. The Department does not propose to prepare an environmental statement.

Reference	ERA19/20-56
Project Type	Afforestation
Location	Seskinore Forest, Omagh
Grid Reference	H 489 637
Area	10.7 Hectares in three blocks
Project Description	Planting of native woodland
Opinion	Not relevant.
	Grassland to be converted to forestry. No rare habitats or other important biodiversity or cultural features will be affected by this project. The Department does not propose to prepare an environmental statement.
Reference	ERA19/20-20
Project Type	Afforestation
Location	Gore’s Island, Strangford
Grid Reference	J 519 493
Area	6.4 hectares
Project Description	Planting of native woodland
Opinion	Not relevant.
	Agricultural land to be converted to forestry. No rare habitats or other important biodiversity or cultural features will be affected by this project.

Reference	ERA19/20-16
Project Type	Deforestation
Location	White Island South, Lower Lough Erne
Grid Reference	H 209 500
Area	2.8 hectares
Project Description	Removal of scrub woodland
Opinion	Not relevant.
	Developing woodland to be converted to agriculture. This project is to benefit breeding waders and in particular the curlew.

Reference	ERA19/20-15
Project Type	Deforestation
Location	Ballynamullan, Omagh
Grid Reference	H 483 746
Area	3.6 Hectares
Project Description	Removal of conifer woodland
Opinion	Not relevant
	No rare habitats or other important biodiversity or cultural features will be affected by this project.

Reference	ERA19/20-18
Project Type	Deforestation
Location	West Tullyhona, Florencecourt
Grid Reference	H 160 343
Area	0.52 Hectares
Project Description	Removal of conifer/ broadleaf woodland
Opinion	Relevant.
	The area of woodland proposed for deforestation is an ancient woodland site and is considered to have been continuously wooded since 1600. To apply for consent from the Department the applicant is required to prepare an environmental statement.

Maps and information relating to these projects have been placed on www.daera-ni.gov.uk/topics/forestry. Further information may be obtained by contacting Policy and Regulation Branch at 028 6634 3034 or by emailing forest.regulation@daera-ni.gov.uk. Any person wishing to comment on the likely environmental effects of the above project may do so in writing by 6 January 2020 to Forest Service, Policy and Regulation Branch, Inishkeen House, Killyhevlin, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh BT74 4EJ or by emailing forest.regulation@daera-ni.gov.uk.