The department of agricultures 2017 forest statistics report was launched by Andrew Doyle minister of state at the department of agriculture, with responsibility for forestry.
The publication provides statistics about afforestation trends, nationally and on a county by county basis up until the end of 2016. It tracks forest road building, thinning and clear felling activity as well as a range of other forest management operations.
A number of interesting findings emerged from the report including that the area of forest is estimated to be 731,650 ha or 10.5% of the total land area of Ireland and that forest cover is estimated to be at its highest level in over 350 years.
Some of the other key data outlined in 'Forest Statistics - Ireland 2017' report include:
Farmers accounted for 83% of private lands afforested between 1980 and 2016.
In 2016, €103.8 million was spent on forest activities including annual premium payments, afforestation grants, as well as grants for forest roading infrastructure.
Other findings from the report include:
The average size of private grant-aided afforestation since 1980 is 8.8 ha.
Since 1980, nearly 21,994 private forest owners have received grant aid to establish forests.The total roundwood harvest in 2016 (including firewood) was 3.36 million cubic metres, the highest level since records began.In 2016, 34% of the roundwood harvested in the Republic of Ireland was used for energy generation, mainly within the forest products sector. The usage of forest based biomass for the energy sector abated 0.76 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2016, up almost 22% on the 2015 level.Doyle commented that the department will be publishing, in the coming months, results from the third cycle of the national forest inventory (NFI) which is completed every five years.
The third NFI will facilitate the on-going monitoring of the national forest estate, including the assessment of change over time. In particular, the evaluation of volume increment and harvesting volume will facilitate the monitoring of sustainable forest management (SFM).
Read more
Afforestation down but forest roading up
Listen: Forestry – friend or foe?
The department of agricultures 2017 forest statistics report was launched by Andrew Doyle minister of state at the department of agriculture, with responsibility for forestry.
The publication provides statistics about afforestation trends, nationally and on a county by county basis up until the end of 2016. It tracks forest road building, thinning and clear felling activity as well as a range of other forest management operations.
A number of interesting findings emerged from the report including that the area of forest is estimated to be 731,650 ha or 10.5% of the total land area of Ireland and that forest cover is estimated to be at its highest level in over 350 years.
Some of the other key data outlined in 'Forest Statistics - Ireland 2017' report include:
Farmers accounted for 83% of private lands afforested between 1980 and 2016.
In 2016, €103.8 million was spent on forest activities including annual premium payments, afforestation grants, as well as grants for forest roading infrastructure.
Other findings from the report include:
The average size of private grant-aided afforestation since 1980 is 8.8 ha.
Since 1980, nearly 21,994 private forest owners have received grant aid to establish forests.The total roundwood harvest in 2016 (including firewood) was 3.36 million cubic metres, the highest level since records began.In 2016, 34% of the roundwood harvested in the Republic of Ireland was used for energy generation, mainly within the forest products sector. The usage of forest based biomass for the energy sector abated 0.76 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2016, up almost 22% on the 2015 level.Doyle commented that the department will be publishing, in the coming months, results from the third cycle of the national forest inventory (NFI) which is completed every five years.
The third NFI will facilitate the on-going monitoring of the national forest estate, including the assessment of change over time. In particular, the evaluation of volume increment and harvesting volume will facilitate the monitoring of sustainable forest management (SFM).
Read more
Afforestation down but forest roading up
Listen: Forestry – friend or foe?
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