Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Pippa Hackett, who has responsibility for forestry, has today (Wednesday, November 3) received the second interim report on the implementation of Project Woodland, which indicates that 2021 will see the highest volume of timber licenced for harvest.
The report is prepared by the project board overseeing the implementation of the project, which was established to reform the regulation and vision for forestry in Ireland.
The minister commented: “Project Woodland is absolutely essential if we’re to reform the design and delivery of woodland creation in Ireland.
“This has really been brought into focus this week with the ongoing of COP26 negotiations and the upcoming delivery of the Climate Action Plan.
“We need land-based climate and biodiversity solutions and woodland creation must be central to this. I note some real progress has been made since the last interim report in July, not least the significant improvement in licencing output since then.”
Timber licences
The minister said that the DAFM has issued an average of 118 new licences each week since the end of August.
She also said that this year will see the highest ever volume of timber licenced for harvest.
“I am equally aware though that the progress is not equal and that an urgent uplift in afforestation licencing is needed. My department will soon be producing its projections for licencing for the first half of 2022,” Hackett added.
Interim forestry report
The interim report also confirmed that the DAFM is proceeding with a full regulatory review of forestry licencing to be conducted by external consultants, Philip Lee, which will be submitted in February 2022.
Minister Hackett said that there has also been significant progress on both the proposals on pre-application discussion and the planning grant for timber felling or harvesting.
She added that the work on the next ‘Vision’ and ‘Strategy’ for Irish forestry is also “making good progress”, with the community-based outreach through National Rural Network already underway, and a national attitudinal survey on forestry abut to begin.
“I want to acknowledge the efforts and contribution of all stakeholders in Project Woodland,” Minister Hackett said.
“I also understand the frustrations of those who are currently awaiting licences. This is not easy work, but we are making real progress and will continue to do so.
“It’s important that the Interim Report formally acknowledges this as it has done, and also highlights the priorities for future work.
“It is only through this collaborative approach from all concerned will we reform this area and make woodland creation the priority policy and driver of our future environmental and economic needs,” Minister Hackett concluded.
The minister’s comments come on the same day that a protest by representatives from the private Irish forestry sector, is taking place outside Government Buildings in Dublin city.
The Social, Economic, Environmental, Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA) has organised the protest to “save Irish forestry”.
Stay tuned to Agriland today as we bring you the latest from the protest line.