Coillte has launched a major new forestry strategy, which aims to grow 100,000ha of new forests by 2050.

The area equates to approximately 100,000 football pitches or just over the size of Co Dublin.

This, Coillte said, will support the delivery of one-third of Ireland’s afforestation targets and provide a carbon sink of 18m tonnes of CO2.

Overall, through a range of innovative actions, Coillte plans to capture approximately 28m tonnes of CO2 in total from the environment by 2050.

The new approach aims to sustainably balance and deliver the multiple benefits from Ireland’s State forests across four strategic pillars: climate, wood, nature and people.

Climate

  • Enable the creation of 100,000ha of new forests by 2050, supporting the delivery of the national afforestation target and create a carbon sink of 18 million tonnes of CO2.
  • Manage its existing forest estate to capture an additional 10m tonnes of CO2 in its forests, soils and wood products by 2050.
  • Redesign 30,000ha of peatland forests by 2050 through a programme of rewetting or rewilding for climate and ecological benefits.
  • Produce sustainable wood products that in 2050 displace 2.7m tonnes of CO2 per year from fossil-based products such as concrete, steel and plastic.
  • Enable the generation of an additional one gigawatt of renewable wind energy by 2030, enough to power half a million homes in Ireland, via its joint venture company FuturEnergy Ireland.
  • Wood
  • Produce a sustainable supply of 25m m3 of Irish certified timber that can help Ireland achieve its housing ambition of 300,000 new homes by 2030.
  • Promote the use and benefits of wood products to help increase the level of timber homes from 20% to 80% by 2050.
  • Develop innovative wood products to meet the growing demand for sustainable materials to support the bioeconomy.
  • Nature

  • Enhance and restore the existing biodiversity on the estate (90,000ha; 20%) to improve its ecological value.
  • Increase the area of its forest estate to be managed primarily for nature from 20% to 30% (an additional 44,000ha) by 2025.
  • Transform and redesign an additional 70,000ha of existing forests, to create new semi-natural woodlands, providing valuable habitats, targeting that 50% of Coillte’s estate is managed primarily for nature in the long-term.
  • People

  • Support the creation of 1,200 direct and indirect new jobs in rural communities to enable the just transition to a low carbon economy in Ireland.
  • Enable the investment of €100m to create world-class visitor destinations by 2030 to support the growth in tourism and recreation in Ireland.
  • Double the number of recreation areas to 500 nationally, enhancing local communities and contributing to people’s wellbeing.
  • Coillte is responsible for the management of 440,000ha of Ireland’s forests, accounting for 7% of the total land area.

    Coillte chair Bernie Gray said: "This marks an important day for Coillte.

    "Over the last few years, we have been exploring ways in which Coillte can play an increasing role in Ireland’s climate action and biodiversity agenda, while recognising that financial sustainability is integral to Coillte achieving its purpose, so that the multiple benefits from our forests and land for the people of Ireland can be delivered."

    Coillte's chief executive Imelda Hurley added: "We have developed a comprehensive strategic vision that, among other things, would see us growing new forests, managing our existing forests for greater carbon capture, delivering valuable wood products, enhancing biodiversity and creating more incredible recreational spaces for the enjoyment of our citizens and tourists."