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.