The area of land afforested across Ireland increased by 61% in 2025 to reach 2,527ha, according to the annual Forest Statistics Report for 2026.

This is an increase of 954ha on 2024 levels. The figure is well short of the 8,000ha planting target per annum set in the Climate Action Plan.

The report, launched by Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Niall Collins TD, has outlined afforestation by county from 2006 to 2025.

The total afforestation area in 2025 was 2,527ha, an increase of 954ha from the 1,573ha figure in 2024.

This was the highest annual level of afforestation since 2019, when 3,550ha was planted.

This figure is dramatically lower in respect to the 2006 figure which saw a total of 8,037ha of afforestation. The highest figure in the 20-year table was 8,314ha in 2010.

County Roscommon seen the highest area of afforestation during 2025 with 335ha.

This figure shows a considerable increase on the 125ha afforested the previous year, 2024.

Cork has the second highest level of planting in 2025 at 276ha, while Clare followed with 228ha, more than double the 108ha afforested there in 2024.

Galway also shows a noticeable increase with 194ha afforested in 2025, compared with 97ha the previous year.

Limerick saw one of the largest increases with 123ha for 2025, while in 2024 only 30ha were afforested.

The lowest levels of afforestation were recorded in Dublin at 3ha, Carlow at 6ha and Laois at 7ha.