Lowest broadleaf planting since the last century

Ireland is lucky in many ways that England has consistently achieved abysmal afforestation programmes over the past century. It means that the UK is hugely reliant on timber imports, which Irish sawmills and board mills avail of for most exports.

Virtually all of the UK’s timber imports of $11.7 bn (€10.7 bn) end up in England.

The UK is now ranked as the third biggest importer in the global market according to Forest Research, Britain’s agency for forestry and tree-related research.

But Ireland’s ability to exploit England’s reliance on timber is seriously inhibited by our continuously underperforming afforestation programme as illustrated in Forest Statistics Ireland 2024, published by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The publication illustrates that Ireland has adopted a similar approach to England in promoting its afforestation programme.

Both countries place a strong emphasis on planting mainly native broadleaves to the detriment of the overall afforestation programme. As a result, England can – like Ireland – boast that most of its afforestation programme now comprises broadleaves.

Forest Statistics

Ireland’s similar path is reflected in Minister of State Pippa Hackett’s comments following the recent launch of Forest Statistics Ireland 2024. “The percentage of broadleaves in new forests created during 2023 was 54%, which is the first time that the proportion of broadleaves planted exceeded conifer tree planting,” she said.

While the minister may be well pleased with this performance, she omitted to say that the Irish broadleaf planting programme is the lowest – by far – for four decades. In the 10-year period alone from 1999 to 2008, some 2,300ha of broadleaves were planted annually compared with 921ha last year.

In fact, more broadleaves were planted annually during the late 1990s and first decade of this century than the total afforestation last year – broadleaves and conifers. We have arrived at a stage in Irish forestry where an annual total afforestation programme, as low as 1,651ha, is perversely regarded as a success, simply because we are planting more broadleaves than conifers.

This approach mirrors the English annual afforestation programme, which at 4,550 ha is marginally better as the total land area of England is 88% larger than Ireland. Like Ireland, England has gradually increased its share of broadleaves, which now amount to 4,110 annually or 90% of its annual declining programme. Ireland is pursuing England’s and Wales’s “broadleaf only” approach.

Contrast this with Scotland, which achieved 15,040ha of afforestation in the 2023/2024 planting season, almost 10 times greater than Ireland’s 2023 programme. Scotland has adopted a multipurpose forestry programme which combines environmental, social and economic objectives unlike Ireland and England. The breakdown of planting in Scotland is 8,720ha of conifers (58%) and 6,320ha of broadleaves (42%).

The Scottish approach is viable and far more ambitious than Ireland and England. Planting a sustainable commercial conifer programme, creates a well-balanced forestry programme with room for broadleaves and conifers to thrive and their owners to earn a living. As a result, Scotland is now planting more broadleaves annually than Ireland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.

This approach will ensure that Scotland is self-sufficient in softwoods in the short term and hardwoods in the long term. England’s approach ensures its status as a long-term global leader in timber importation is secure.

Ireland exports

While Ireland is fortunate that England will continue to rely on imports, our annual abysmal afforestation programme over the last decade means that timber production from Irish forests will drop alarmingly after 2035, which means that the role of forestry in achieving climate change targets is seriously undermined.

Confronting the afforestation crisis will require a different approach as business as usual is simply not working. Foresters and forestry contractors are leaving the sector, which has been calling for the establishment of an independent forestry development agency for over a decade. The Department cannot continue to ignore this call from foresters, contractors, timber processors and farming organisations.

The publication of Forest Statistics Ireland 2024 almost went unnoticed, mainly because it is devoid of any comment or direction on how the current crisis can be addressed.

What the sector needs is an annual review, that provides serious analysis and comment on how the alarmingly low afforestation programme can be reversed. A review is required for public and private forestry, not just an annual set of statistics.

The last State forestry report was published in 1999, which related “to the activities of the Forest Service in 1998 when it was responsible for the management and development of the State’s forest estate and for the encouragement of private forestry”.

Annual reports up to 1999 included progress and data on State and private afforestation, reforestation, employment, forest research, disease threats and forest protection. Neither a forestry report, nor a review has appeared since that year, which marked the establishment of Coillte.

An annual review on the state of the Irish forestry and forest products sector would be the first task of an independent forestry development agency.

• Ireland opting for English “broadleaf only” model.
• Broadleaf planting percent up but the lowest area for four decades.
• Annual broadleaf planting reduced from 2,300ha to 921ha.
• Scotland planting record high levels of broadleaves and conifers.

This year the Tullamore Show will be held on Sunday 11 August where “the ‘ Forestry and Sustainable Living’ section will be one of the major attractions,” according to Liam Kelly, Teagasc forestry development officer.

He is the co-ordinator of the forestry section which he says “will showcase all facets of Ireland’s rapidly developing farm forestry and renewable energy sectors”.

Now, Ireland’s largest agricultural one-day event, has 700 trade stands and displays.“The forest and sustainable living section is designed to promote forestry and energy with other agricultural enterprises,” says Kelly. “It has a wide range of attractions for all the family and has proven a major success in previous shows,” he adds.

“This aspect of the show has a range of hi-tech machines and an array of indoor and outdoor exhibits. The opportunities provided by a farm forestry enterprise to enhance family farm income, particularly through new tree planting, agroforestry forestry, thinning and wood energy will be highlighted.”

“Renewable energy is now a major aspect of the show and this year, many companies will be displaying solar panels, boiler systems and efficient firewood stoves.”

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/