Headquartered in Virginia, County Cavan, Green Belt Ltd. have over the past three-and-a-half decades established themselves as Ireland’s premier forestry company – a status that was underlined when they scooped the 2017 Agribusiness of the Year Award for Forestry in November. We caught up with Investment Manager Maurice Ryan to get an update on the development of this exceptional market-leading operation.
The calendar year ended on a real high for Green Belt Ltd. when they were crowned Forestry Agribusiness of the Year, an accolade gleaned in the face of strong competition and one which reflects the manifold strengths of Green Belt and the emphasis they place on quality and efficiency across their managed portfolio.
For 35 years, Green Belt has encouraged a culture of excellence from all their professional foresters and this prestigious award is a testament to all the hard work consistently delivered. It also recognises the company’s energy and their commitment to helping harness a future for the forestry industry in Ireland.
However, with another award nestling on the Green Belt mantelpiece, this is not a time for complacency! The team at Green Belt feels strongly that afforestation figures in Ireland need to be improved and further work must be completed to increase the mobility of timber. Furthermore, a determined urge towards renewables – particularly in the shape of biomass – is needed to advance the forestry market.
Son of co-founder Mossie Ryan, Green Belt investment manager Maurice Ryan had the honour of collecting the Agribusiness of the Year Award at a black-tie gala event in the Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin on November 9th: “The award means a lot to us because we have been in the industry for a long time and the award is a showcase for the industry,” he notes. “We always believed very strongly in what we are doing but to be recognised by our peers for our excellence and for them to recognise that what we are doing is both noteworthy and of a high standard is very humbling. It’s a nice bonus at the end of the year and it’s great for everybody in the office, who can now take even more pride in their hard work.”
In many ways, it was the feather in the cap of a memorable year for Green Belt. “It’s been a very good year and a significant one for Green Belt as we are broadening our horizons,” Maurice continues. “We had to expand our view because afforestation numbers are being reduced by the Government and we’ve had to look at other elements within forestry, harvesting being a big one now that planting numbers are being reduced.
“Traditionally, we would have harvested 50,000-80,000 tonnes per year but that figure will be up to 120,000 tonnes next year, which is a big shift. But it’s a change we have taken in our stride as we have good relationships with the sawmills and private sector forestry is becoming more and more important to them as it matures.
“We aim to provide an excellent long-term service to our clients. We have an exceptional core of people here and a good atmosphere. There’s a family feel to the business and our people are all collectively-focussed as opposed to individually-focussed.”
Founded in 1982 by forestry pioneers Mossie Ryan and the late Tim O’Brien, Green Belt is Ireland’s largest private forestry group, offering a full range of opportunities to those interested in either becoming involved in forestry or expanding their involvement. Services offered include: Afforestation / Forestry Establishment; Forestry Management; Timber Thinning & Harvesting; Forestry Investment; Timber Marketing and Wood Chip Services.
Green Belt has planted some 400,000 acres of private forestry across Ireland for approximately 10,000 clients. Having successfully retained and nurtured strong working relationships with the vast majority of these clients, Green Belt has been entrusted with further planting and silvicultural service provision for the plantations. Management plans, thinning and harvesting operations and continuous evaluation through to clearfell have secured the company’s position as the most trusted forestry management company in the country.
Green Belt continues to plant 40% of new forestry established in Ireland and also provides 40,000 tonnes of biomass for semi-state bodies to assist in their efforts to become more sustainable. Along with this, Green Belt continually seeks new investment opportunities for domestic and international clients and since 2014 has acquired €20 million of assets for investment clients across Ireland.
As a one-stop shop for forestry, Green Belt provides a complete range of services from planting through to clearfell and everything in between. “We work with our clients all the way through,” Maurice confirms. “For those clients who have enjoyed the benefits of their 20-year premiums, we are now in a position where we can provide an investor for them to help them release funds prior to clearfell. We can match the client with an investor and continue to manage the forest.
“We have 19 foresters located nationwide and, while planting has always been our core activity, the landscape of private forestry has changed to such a degree that our operations are going to become more timber- and harvesting-focussed going forward.”
Maurice says that the manner in which afforestation numbers are falling due to regulations is a major concern from an environmental point of view. “Every nation has environmental targets to reach and forestry is one of the most effective and natural ways to safeguard the environment. We only have 11% forestry cover in Ireland -compared to a European average of between 30% and 40% – and clearly this needs to increase. But, to the contrary, numbers are falling every year and this can also affect rural employment. It’s a source of real worry.
“For example, in 1995, 15,000 hectares of private forestry were planted in Ireland and we were responsible for 6,000 hectares of that. This year, the entire industry has planted less than 6,000 hectares. It’s a huge drop-off and the restrictions need to be reconsidered as there are so many drawbacks from employment, soil improvement and environmental points of view.”
Despite the challenges being presented, Green Belt has adapted and seamlessly reinvented itself to a degree, which leaves Maurice justifiably optimistic going forward: “We’ve recognised that we can’t focus on one aspect of the business or the industry,” he concludes. “We realise that we need to consider alternative revenue sources such as different planting models, looking at investors and increasing our harvesting activities as well as other long-term capital investment projects.”
Having put down firm roots, this long-established, award-winning enterprise is poised to grow from strength to strength for many years – nay, decades – to come.
Green Belt Ltd.,
Virginia,
County Cavan.
Tel: 049 8548000
Freephone: 1800 200233
Fax: 049 8547509
Web: www.greenbelt.ie
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 6 No 1, February 2018
