Ireland is currently planting just over 11ha of trees per week or 7% of its weekly afforestation target for 2023, Minister of State for forestry Pippa Hackett has confirmed.
The weekly afforestation rate is putting the country on track to have its worst year for tree planting ever.
According to Teagasc, the average Irish farm field size is 2.5ha, meaning an area equivalent to just over four fields is afforested in Ireland every seven days at present.
To meet the Government’s planting target of 8,000ha for 2023, some 154ha of trees would need to be planted weekly.
With just 11ha of trees going into the ground, the country is nowhere near meeting the afforestation rate required to meet this target.
Just over 11ha of trees are being planted weekly in Ireland. \ Philip Doyle
The analysis by the Irish Farmers Journal comes off the back of Minister Hackett’s confirmation in the Dáil on Thursday that just 114ha of trees have been planted so far this year.
Furthermore, January and February are months better suited to tree planting, before the growing season, suggesting Ireland is even further behind its afforestation target for 2023.
‘Turmoil’
Minister Hackett’s confirmation of the low planting rates came following questioning by Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson Matt Carthy TD.
Deputy Carthy warned that the forestry sector is in “absolute disarray and turmoil” and asked Minister Hackett what she is doing to fix it.
“The deputy will be aware that new planting numbers have decreased in recent years due to various factors, including COVID-19, licensing issues and the wait-and-see attitude adopted by some applicants in the last years of the outgoing programme,” Minister Hackett said.
Ireland is on track to meet just 7% of its 8,000ha planting target this year. \ Philip Doyle
She said this approach was taken by farmers and land owners in anticipation of the higher grant rates that are now available under the new forestry programme.
However, Minister Hackett acknowledged that it will be a “matter of weeks” before the state aid component of this new forestry programme will be submitted to the European Commission.
“My Department officials are incredibly busy. To get this state aid approval piece concluded is an incredibly complex process.
“Officials were in Brussels yesterday meeting with the European Commission on this. I am hopeful we will be making our formal submission in a matter of weeks. A great deal of work has been done behind the scenes,” she told Deputy Carthy.
Interim measure
Despite the heavy criticism from the Sinn Féin TD, Minister Hackett highlighted her interim afforestation scheme, which she said enables those applicants with valid approvals to opt into a scheme offering the new grant and premium rates contained in the draft forestry programme.
She said the interim measure bridges the “lacuna between the old and new forestry programmes”.
“To date this year, nearly 1,120ha have been approved for planting in 2023 under those new interim arrangements.
“This planting is currently taking place and it is also important to note that non-grant-aided replanting, or reforestation, continues to take place every year, as is evidenced in the recent national forestry inventory,” she said.
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Ireland is currently planting just over 11ha of trees per week or 7% of its weekly afforestation target for 2023, Minister of State for forestry Pippa Hackett has confirmed.
The weekly afforestation rate is putting the country on track to have its worst year for tree planting ever.
According to Teagasc, the average Irish farm field size is 2.5ha, meaning an area equivalent to just over four fields is afforested in Ireland every seven days at present.
To meet the Government’s planting target of 8,000ha for 2023, some 154ha of trees would need to be planted weekly.
With just 11ha of trees going into the ground, the country is nowhere near meeting the afforestation rate required to meet this target.
Just over 11ha of trees are being planted weekly in Ireland. \ Philip Doyle
The analysis by the Irish Farmers Journal comes off the back of Minister Hackett’s confirmation in the Dáil on Thursday that just 114ha of trees have been planted so far this year.
Furthermore, January and February are months better suited to tree planting, before the growing season, suggesting Ireland is even further behind its afforestation target for 2023.
‘Turmoil’
Minister Hackett’s confirmation of the low planting rates came following questioning by Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson Matt Carthy TD.
Deputy Carthy warned that the forestry sector is in “absolute disarray and turmoil” and asked Minister Hackett what she is doing to fix it.
“The deputy will be aware that new planting numbers have decreased in recent years due to various factors, including COVID-19, licensing issues and the wait-and-see attitude adopted by some applicants in the last years of the outgoing programme,” Minister Hackett said.
Ireland is on track to meet just 7% of its 8,000ha planting target this year. \ Philip Doyle
She said this approach was taken by farmers and land owners in anticipation of the higher grant rates that are now available under the new forestry programme.
However, Minister Hackett acknowledged that it will be a “matter of weeks” before the state aid component of this new forestry programme will be submitted to the European Commission.
“My Department officials are incredibly busy. To get this state aid approval piece concluded is an incredibly complex process.
“Officials were in Brussels yesterday meeting with the European Commission on this. I am hopeful we will be making our formal submission in a matter of weeks. A great deal of work has been done behind the scenes,” she told Deputy Carthy.
Interim measure
Despite the heavy criticism from the Sinn Féin TD, Minister Hackett highlighted her interim afforestation scheme, which she said enables those applicants with valid approvals to opt into a scheme offering the new grant and premium rates contained in the draft forestry programme.
She said the interim measure bridges the “lacuna between the old and new forestry programmes”.
“To date this year, nearly 1,120ha have been approved for planting in 2023 under those new interim arrangements.
“This planting is currently taking place and it is also important to note that non-grant-aided replanting, or reforestation, continues to take place every year, as is evidenced in the recent national forestry inventory,” she said.
Read more
Map: which counties have the highest forest cover?
National forestry development ‘agency’ needed - IFA
New forestry planting applications not being accepted, claims SEEFA
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