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At current afforestation levels, Ireland will increase its forest cover to 14% of the land area by 2050, although stated policy is to achieve 17% cover by 2030. All stakeholders interviewed during the compilation of this supplement agreed that recent annual afforestation programmes of 6,000ha need to increase dramatically. This has been acknowledged by COFORD, the forestry advisory body to the Department, which maintains that over the past five years afforestation has “fallen below the sustainable level of 15,000ha per annum”.
Barriers inhibiting afforestation in highly productive forestry land need to be removed. This will allow high-yielding and diverse forests to be established, without negatively affecting agricultural production. The positive role of forestry in climate change mitigation illustrates that Ireland is uniquely positioned in having the potential to increase both food and wood production, but only if a viable afforestation programme is achieved. Despite the underperformance of afforestation, there are major positives.
The wood processing sector continues to perform well domestically and internationally, despite sterling currency fluctuation and ongoing Brexit uncertainty, while private growers continue to increase production.
The recent pilot scheme to plant unenclosed land has been a positive development as have other initiatives, including the reconstitution grant for forest owners whose forests were destroyed by Storm Darwin in 2014.
Forestry – a mainstream enterprise in Ireland
The Teagasc view on forestry investment
Department's views on forestry and climate change
Co-operation central to wood mobilisation – IFA
Check your forestry grant and premium entitlements
Views on 2016/17 forestry programme
Placing trust in broadleaves – major field day in None-So-Hardy Nurseries
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