The reintroduction of endangered Irish apple varieties such as the Kerry Pippin, Glenstal Cooker and Cavan Sugar Cane has been given a boost by the revised Rural Environment Protection Scheme.
The scheme carries extra payments for the creation and maintenance of orchards of traditional Irish varieties to ensure their survival.
Mr Dermot McKinney, project manager of the Irish Seed Savers Association, said it had already experienced demand for trees for the scheme, which was approved in June. "We have 130 different varieties of Irish apple trees here and in anticipation of demand, we have grafted 5,500 apple trees for those who want them," he said. "We are talking about varieties such as Ballyvaughan, Sheep Snout, Sunny John, Kerry Pippin, Glenstal Cooker, Beauty of Bath, Bloody Butcher and Cavan Sugar Cane being saved," he added.
"The last time there was an attempt to save native trees it was during the time of the British Empire, around 1903/1906 when grants were given to promote endangered British trees. I am afraid there was no question of promoting Irish trees then but 100 years on, we now have the chance," he said.
Mr Michael O'Donovan, the Department of Agriculture official in charge of the scheme, said the orchard project was just one of the pro-active measures put into the revised scheme to enhance the environment. "The first two REPS schemes were about conserving what was there. The revised scheme is about creating habitat and pushing the whole issue forward in a pro-active way," he said.
Also introduced was the Land Invested In Nature, Natural Eco-Tillage Habitats scheme, where farmers would be rewarded for small-scale production of cereals as overwintering food for small birds. It also incorporates extra payments for conserving corncrake habitats.