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Forest Service Northern Ireland is offering five-year leases on seven forests in the province ranging from 100 acres to 2,500 acres. Previous successful bids ranged from £100 to £800 a year.
These are the forests on offer: - Clonchullion
- Crocknafeola
- Drumrammer
- Glenshane
- Moneystaghan
- Jenkin
- Dunamoney and Legilly Forest
The licence is for a period of five years with an option to renew for a further 5 years at an agreed licence fee if both parties are content. The licence must be adhered to at all times. A management plan/proposal must accompany any offer of licensing by tender. It is a requirement of the licence that, if successful, a risk assessment must be completed annually (or confirmation that the previous risk assessment is still adequate and reflects current risk). If it does not, a new risk assessment must be forwarded together with valid insurance cover worth at least £5m, which must always be produced annually. Rates are no longer payable on any sporting rights. Copies of management proposals and tender documents should be made for each additional application. Where an individual or club submits more than one application each must be clearly labelled according to preference. - Applicants are reminded of the following conditions, which apply to all forests, unless stated:
- The Forest Service does not permit the use of bullet firing weapons.
- Quarry species may include the following: pheasant, partridge, wood pigeon, snipe, woodcock and mallardThe management plan must be adhered to at all times.
- It is illegal to shoot at night, Sundays and Christmas Day.
- Excepting areas where pheasant or partridge are reared, control of vermin including rabbits, foxes, mink, rats, stoats and permitted corvids may only be carried out within the period Oct 1 – Jan 31, except by prior agreement with the Department.
The Forest Service requires that all Licensees on Forest Service lands have a written statement identifying risks associated with shooting and also the controls in place to ensure the safety of shooters and other forest users. All successful tenders will now be required to sign and enter into a licence agreement (Specimen attached) which will require the licensee to agree to carry out an annual risk assessment for all shooting activities before the start of each shooting season. The following points should be considered when preparing a risk assessment: - Identify any inherent forest hazards, such as quarries, mine shafts and deep water (this information is available at the local forest office and by means of a hazard statement).
- Identify other forest hazards such as visitors and forestry operations.
- Identify emergency procedures in case of an accident.
- Agree a system of communication with the local forest officer to avoid conflict with other forest users.
- Comply with current best practice guidance on shooting activities.
Forests on offer Jenkin: 969ha. South of Fivemiletown on the road to Roslea, Co Fermanagh. Area of upland conifer forest. Contact: Basil Lenaghan (028 66343123) or Michael Keown (028 66343140). Previous successful bid: £820 per annum Dunamoney and Legilly Forest: 28ha. 3 miles south-west of Dungannon on the Aughnacloy Road. Two blocks of mixed conifer and broad-leaf woodland surrounded by farmland. Contact: Basil Lenaghan (028 66343123) or John Millmore (028 87759311). Previously vacant Drumrammer: 97.9ha. 3 miles from Limavady on the Garvagh Road. Maturing upland spruce plantation and 20ha of p96 newplant, with some areas unplanted. Edges would contain woodcock and snipe. Contact: Mr Stephen McCartney (028 29556000) or Jim Marshall (028 29556000). Previous successful bid: £450 per annum Glenshane: 1021ha. 6 miles South East of Dungiven, Co Londonderry. A vast area of open woodland and conifer forest containing extensive open areas. Contact: Mr Stephen McCartney (028 29556000) or John Mooney (29556000). Previous successful bid: £450 per annum Moneystaghan: 94ha. Situated halfway between Portglenone and Bellaghy. An area of lowland blanket bog planted in mid 1970s. Good habitat for game birds with a history of being managed for game shooting with rides and other open areas. Contains some exceptionally wide rides. The habitat is also suitable for migrating ducks which frequent it and woodcock. Marshy and moorland habitat in the vicinity which attract snipe. Contact: Mr Stephen McCartney (028 29556000) or Darryl Ridge (29556000). Previous successful bid: £250 per annum Crocknefeola: 66ha, five miles north of Kilkeel, Co. Down. This is an upland area of mixed coniferous woodland in the southern foothills of the Mournes. Pigeon and woodcock occur and there is a good population of rabbits. Contact: Mr Mark Parker (028 43772257) or Breandan Mulholland (028 43772248). Previous Successful bid: £101 per annum. Clonachullion: 43ha, five miles west of Newcastle on the Trassey Road. An area of semi mature predominantly conifer woodland. The ‘Ulster Way’ walking trail crosses through the site and hill walkers are frequent in the summer months. Contact: Mr Mark Parker (028 43772257) or Breandan Mulholland (028 43772248). Previous Successful bid: £101 per annum The Department does not undertake to accept the highest or any tender for the Licence. |
