Comparative Irish and American hardwood culture. 2. The diversity and effectiveness of grant schemes for promoting forestry in rural areas of the midwestern U.S. and Ireland.

Abstract

Though farming and forestry have traditionally been antagonistic, current economic and environmental necessities are promoting new partnerships. Reforestation efforts on farmland in the US and Ireland are making effective use of government subsidies to farm owners for planting trees, though significant challenges lie ahead . Analysis of the type and objectives of grant schemes, however, shows differences in Irish and American approaches. Irish grants are much more strongly aimed at promoting the business of forestry and cover a wider variety of costs and related infrastructure. Differentials are included to promote farm-forestry and hardwood planting. American grants, particularly annual payments, are much more of an attempt to control soil and water quality degradation , over-production of commodities, and commodity prices. Future success of these grant schemes in both countries will depend on the forestry community's ability to educate an agricultural population and to accept mixtures of agriculture with traditional forestry.