The area of commercial forestry planted last year topped 2,500ha for the first time since 2020.

A total of 2,527ha were planted up to 24 December 2025, according to the Department of Agriculture’s forestry dashboard.

This is a 60% increase on the 1,573ha planted in 2024 and the 1,652ha planted in 2023.

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However, worryingly for the Government, the level of planting in 2025 is still well short of the 8,000ha target which is included in the State’s climate change strategy.

And the outlook for 2026 is not hugely positive on the afforestation front.

Licences

Afforestation licences for 3,569ha were issued in 2025. This is back significantly on the 2024 figure, when licences were issued for 4,844ha.

There was also a reduction in the area of felling licences issued. This is surprising, given that 26,000ha of Coillte and private plantations were severely damaged by storms Éowyn and Darragh during the winter of 2024/25.

Despite the urgency to harvest this timber, the area covered by felling licences issued in 2025 dropped to 20,495ha. This was a reduction of 1,455ha on the 21,850ha covered by felling licences issued in 2024.

Reacting to the figures, private forestry representative body Social Economic Environmental Forestry Association (SEEFA) welcomed the increased level of planting recorded last year.

“While SEEFA is disappointed to see afforestation levels are still below the required amount, it is encouraging to see that the 2,500ha of new forests and woodlands created in 2025 is c1,000ha above 2024 plantings,” a spokesperson said.

“This is the first time in some years we have witnessed planting levels increasing instead of declining year on year, as was the case under the previous Government,” he added.

The SEEFA representative claimed that planting levels could have topped 3,000ha but for the salvage efforts required in the aftermath of storm Éowyn.

He also welcomed the recent announcement of a wind-blow reconstitution scheme by Minister for State Michael Healy-Rae.

“The recent increase in forestry activity provides the first opportunity in some years to create additional employment in the industry,” the SEEFA spokesperson maintained.

But he cautioned that forestry had “transitioned very quickly from an industry short of work to an industry short of workers” and that this skilled labour deficit was a challenge.

“SEEFA members are actively discussing options to introduce more foresters, planting contractors and general operatives into the sector,” the spokesperson said.