Private Planting Programme - Application Process

Private Planting Programme - Application Process

The key elements of the Private Planting Programme are as follows:

What is offered?
Free seedlings and technical (ie, silvicultural) advice are offered to attract prospective applicants/participants. Technical advice is given on topics such as:

species selection;
site preparation;
tree/stand maintenance;
thinning and pruning; and
growth and yield determination.
After trees are established, growers may benefit from tax concessions and with certification from the Conservator, growers may be eligible for duty concessions on the acquisition of farm vehicles/equipment.

Who are targeted?

The range of individuals/entities include:

smallholder farmers;

large estate farms;

absentee owners whose lands are not presently in productive use;

bauxite companies with land for restoration; and

public land holding entities such as the National Water Commission.

To date, smallholder farmers have been the main beneficiaries of the Private Planting Programme. However, the Forestry Department is now attempting to recruit into the Private Planting Programme landowners whose main income at present is not derived from their land . Such persons are more likely to be financially able to make the longer-term investment which forestry requires.

How does it work?

Write or telephone any of our offices to obtain an application form or download a form here.

When the completed application is received and reviewed, a Forestry Department officer will make arrangements with the applicant to visit the proposed planting site. Decisions are then taken regarding:

suitability of the land;

selection of appropriate tree species;

quantity of seedlings and;

schedule for provision of seedlings.

Seedlings will be made available as scheduled and the planted seedlings will be monitored. Measurement of the young trees, eg, height, girth, etc. may be done intermittently for research purposes.

Achievements of the Private Planting Programme to Date

Since 1998, over 700 persons have applied to the programme.
Through these applications, over 2,000 hectares of land have been committed for growing mainly timber trees. Land parcels range from 0.2 to over 150 hectares.

To date, 80 percent of applicants have received seedlings for plantation establishment as well as for agroforestry applications. Other applicants are either to be visited or are awaiting supplies of seedlings.

The most requested seedlings are cedar (Cedrela odorata), Honduras mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), Jamaica mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni), Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea), Spanish elm (Cordia gerascanthus), and blue mahoe (Hibiscus elatus).

DISCLAIMER! The Forestry Department (Ministry of Agriculture, Goverment of Jamaica) will use its best endeavours to ensure that all news and information provided on this Web site (www.forestry.gov.jm) is accurate and current. However, The Forestry Department does not guarantee that all the information provided here is current and accurate and cannot be held responsible nor liable for any information provided here which proves to be inaccurate or outdated in any respect.


	Private Planting Programme - Application Process
	The key elements of the Private Planting Programme are as follows: What is offered? Free seedlings and technical (ie, silvicultural) advice are offered to attract prospective applicants/participants. Technical advice is given on topics such as: species selection; site preparation; tree/stand maintenance; thinning and pruning; and growth and yield determination. After trees are established, growers may benefit from tax concessions and with certification from the Conservator, growers may be eligible for duty concessions on the acquisition of farm vehicles/equipment. Who are targeted? The range of individuals/entities include: smallholder farmers; large estate farms; absentee owners whose lands are not presently in productive use; bauxite companies with land for restoration; and public land holding entities such as the National Water Commission. To date, smallholder farmers have been the main beneficiaries of the Private Planting Programme. However, the Forestry Department is now attempting to recruit into the Private Planting Programme landowners whose main income at present is not derived from their land . Such persons are more likely to be financially able to make the longer-term investment which forestry requires. How does it work? Write or telephone any of our offices to obtain an application form or download a form here. When the completed application is received and reviewed, a Forestry Department officer will make arrangements with the applicant to visit the proposed planting site. Decisions are then taken regarding: suitability of the land; selection of appropriate tree species; quantity of seedlings and; schedule for provision of seedlings. Seedlings will be made available as scheduled and the planted seedlings will be monitored. Measurement of the young trees, eg, height, girth, etc. may be done intermittently for research purposes. Achievements of the Private Planting Programme to Date Since 1998, over 700 persons have applied to the programme. Through these applications, over 2,000 hectares of land have been committed for growing mainly timber trees. Land parcels range from 0.2 to over 150 hectares. To date, 80 percent of applicants have received seedlings for plantation establishment as well as for agroforestry applications. Other applicants are either to be visited or are awaiting supplies of seedlings. The most requested seedlings are cedar (Cedrela odorata), Honduras mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), Jamaica mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni), Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea), Spanish elm (Cordia gerascanthus), and blue mahoe (Hibiscus elatus).
DISCLAIMER! The Forestry Department (Ministry of Agriculture, Goverment of Jamaica) will use its best endeavours to ensure that all news and information provided on this Web site (www.forestry.gov.jm) is accurate and current. However, The Forestry Department does not guarantee that all the information provided here is current and accurate and cannot be held responsible nor liable for any information provided here which proves to be inaccurate or outdated in any respect.