Forestry covers 11.6% of the land area in Ireland, the Department of Agriculture's annual forest statistics report for 2026 has revealed.

Minister of State with responsibility for forestry Niall Collins said the report provides a detailed picture of forestry in Ireland.

“The Forest Statistics Ireland 2026 annual report brings together a wide range of information into one place to provide a detailed picture of the forest sector in Ireland.

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“Today, Ireland’s forest stands at nearly 12% of our land area, reflecting significant levels of afforestation over many decades.

“This publication is a comprehensive and vital resource to serve anyone interested in our forestry sector, from forest owners, stakeholders, policymakers, farmers, to researchers,” Minister Collins said.

Key statistics

The Department has outlined 10 key statistics from the report:

  • 1. Ireland’s forest area is 11.6% of the land area. The area of new forest created during 2025 totalled 2,527ha. The greatest afforestation took place in Co Roscommon, with 335ha, followed by Co Cork with 276ha. The percentage of broadleaves in new forests created during 2025 was 66%, which is an increase of 12% above 2024 levels.
  • 2. Between 1980 and 2025, 24,500 private landowners have accessed the grants available to establish new forests, with an average plantation size of 8.5ha. Farmers accounted for 79% of afforestation area on private lands. The percentage of land afforested by farmers during 2025 was 54%, with non-farmers accounting for 46%.
  • 3. Over the period 2006 to 2025, 40% of the area afforested was by those aged 60 years or more. In 2025, 52% of the area afforested was by those aged 60 years or more and for those in receipt of premium payments, 62% were aged 60 or more.
  • 4. Total expenditure in 2025 by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on forest activities including afforestation, maintenance grants, annual premium payments and grants for forest road infrastructure was €79m.
  • 5. In 2025, a total of 35.2t of the main broadleaf species seed was sown in forestry nurseries, equating to approximately 11.38m plants. The main broadleaf species included downy birch, common alder and pedunculate oak. The main conifer species included Sitka spruce, Scots pine and lodgepole pine.
  • 6. The construction of 85km of private forest roads was funded during 2025, an increase on the average of 80km per year since 2020.
  • 7. During 2025, felling licences were issues for the thinning of 2,346ha and the clear-felling of 18,219ha. These sum to a total 511,957ha licences for thinning since 2010 and 220,353ha licenced for clear-fell over the same period.
  • 8. Over half (53.6%) of Ireland’s forest estate is certified by international non-governmental organisations to promote good forest practice. The vast majority of this area is in the public forest estate, whereas 35,882ha of private forests are currently certified.
  • 9. In 2024 Ireland’s forests removed almost 3.4m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, a decrease of 0.12m tonnes compared with 2023.
  • 10. Roundwood removals went up by 18% from 4.4m cubic metres in 2024 to 5.2m cubic metres in 2025. Removals from privately-owned forests were 2.9m cubic metres in 2025, accounting for 57% of the total removals volume.