The iPLAN Scheme facilitates online Forest management planning and funds a grant of €1,200 for plans submitted through the iPLAN system.
The objectives of the iPLAN Scheme is to;
- Facilitate the preparation of standardised electronic Forest Management Plans (FMPs) for the benefit of all private forest owners;
- Promote good practice in sustainable forest management to maximise economic, social and environmental outcomes;
- Support 3rd party voluntary forest certification and increase the participation levels of private forest owners in Forest Certification;
- Encourage the forest owner to engage with the management of their own forest and provide an important forum for the forest owner and their Forest Agent to compile a plan together;
- Provide a platform for harvest planning and forest restructuring over a 20 year horizon;
- Facilitate the collation of documentation for forest administration and oversight functions.
Eligibility
A grant of €1,200 is available per Forest Management Plan submitted through iPLAN.
Where a Forest Owner has multiple forests (grant aided or non-grant aided) these should all be included in a single iPLAN, where these forests are in the same geographical area. For the purposes of the iPLAN Scheme a single contiguous forest area under an ownership or Management Unit must be treated as a single plan. Forests established through a single afforestation contract may not be subdivided into iPLAN multiple submissions.
The iPLAN scheme grant is available to all private forest owners.
There is a minimum period of 5 years between submission of iPLAN Forest Management Plans for the same area. This includes existing private non-grant aided forests, private grant aided forests and private forest units with a mixture of both grant aided forests and non-grant aided forest. Forests with existing forest certification accreditation (PEFC, FSC or PEFC and FSC), can qualify for an iPLAN scheme grant payment on successful submission and approval of an iPLAN FMP.
FMPs must be prepared and submitted through iPLAN by a Registered Forester.
Further information
iPlan Scheme document (DAFM website)
Know your forest (gathering information for your forest management plan)
List of Registered Foresters (DAFM website)