The Social, Economic Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA) has described the latest forestry dashboard figures as having “reached an embarrassingly low point, marking a new rock bottom”.
The comment comes on the back of Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Pippa Hackett announcing a review of the Ash Dieback RUS scheme.
SEEFA said the announcement was “effectively kicking a dead can down the road until September”.
Forestry dashboard
Into the sixth month of 2023 and so far seven afforestation licences have been issued by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Applications received for afforestation stand at 55. In total, an area of 119ha has been afforested so far this year, according to figures published by DAFM.
One of the aims set out in the government’s Climate Action Plan 2023 is to increase annual afforestation rates from approximately 2,000ha/yr in 2021 and 2022 to 8,000ha/yr from 2023 onwards.
An area of 2,154ha would need to be planted over the next six months to equal last year’s total of 2,273ha and a further 7,745ha would be needed to reach the yearly target of 8,000ha.
However, afforestation applications for De Minimis scheme have risen up to 284.
In total 1,402 felling and 63 road licences have been issued so far this year. The number of applications received currently stands at 1,153 and 215 respectively.
Up until the end of May 2023, the DAFM approved the construction of 23km of forestry roads and the felling of 16,073ha of forests.
The area of forests approved for felling this year is lower compared to the same time period last year at 20,203ha, DAFM figures show.
Sawmill forestry concerns
The lack of forestry is also causing concern for Ireland sawmills, members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee heard today (Tuesday, June 13).
Industry experts explained that planting trees has hit an all-time low and that the Forestry Service “is not delivering any forestry”.
Members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture toured Murray’s sawmill in Ballygar, Co. Galway earlier today and discussed the precarious status of the sector which creates 12,000 jobs in Ireland and contributes €2.3 billion to the economy.
The committee itself said it is “concerned about the current low levels of annual afforestation which pose a major threat to the long-term prospects of the sawmilling sector”.
Ash dieback review
Meanwhile, an independent review is to be carried out into the DAFM ash dieback support scheme.
Minister Hackett announced the establishment of the independent review group last week.
The group will comprise three members of the board that are currently overseeing the implementation of Project Woodland:
- Jo O’Hara, former chief executive of the Scottish Forestry Commission;
- Jerry Grant, former managing director of Irish Water;
- Matt Crowe, former director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The trio will be tasked with reviewing the existing and previous supports available to landowners with ash plantations funded under the National Forestry Programme which are infected with Chalara or ash dieback disease.