The area of woodland in NI has remained unchanged over the past five years, figures from DAERA’s Forest Service indicate.

UK wide statistics for 2017 were published last week and NI figures supplied by the Forest Service indicate that there were 112,000ha of woodland in NI last year. Around 66,000ha of this are coniferous plantations with the remaining 46,000ha made up of broadleaf woodland.

The only significant change in woodland area in NI in the past ten years was when the area of broadleaf trees increased from 22,000ha to 45,000ha between 2011 and 2013.

Although agri environment schemes have incentivised planting, Patrick Cregg from the Woodland Trust maintains that the sharp rise was likely caused by a change in the classification of broadleaf woodland by the department.

Across the UK, NI has the lowest proportion of land area in forestry at 8.3%. Scotland has 18.5% of its land area forested, Wales has 14.8% and England has 10.0%. In the Republic of Ireland, it is estimated that 10.5% of its land area is forest.

However, the current forestry area in NI is at its highest level in centuries, with the Forest Service estimating that only 1.5% of NI was forested in the 17th century.

The Forest Service owns 62,137ha or around 55% of the total woodland in NI and around 80% of the DAERA agency’s woodland area are coniferous plantations.

Most recent figures from DAERA that give county breakdowns show that Tyrone was the most forested county in NI in 2016 with 28,323ha of woodland. Fermanagh was second with 26,776ha of forest and Antrim was third with 19,920ha. Armagh is bottom with only 6,335ha.

Report finds more planting would reduce flooding

Increasing the area of woodland cover in the river catchment surrounding Omagh would reduce peak river levels downstream during flood events, according to a research report from DAERA’s Forest Service.

The report found that increasing the proportion of forestry in the river catchment from 6% to 13.8% would reduce peak discharge in rivers by 13% during frequent flooding (one in five-year events). The same forestry expansion would reduce the flood peak by 8% during extreme weather events (one in 100-year floods).

According to the report the existing 6% woodland cover makes a relatively small contribution to flood alleviation in Omagh by reducing peak flows by 1% and 3% during the 100-year and five-year floods respectively.

However, the report also points out that management of existing upland, such as heathland, can also have a positive effect.

Heather is effective at reducing runoff as water is absorbed by the plant, water evaporates off its surface area and the root system increases water infiltration into the soil, the report states.

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One in every 10 acres of land in Ireland is under forestry