An area of 65ha has been planted in the first six weeks of 2024, according to the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
In comparison, the Forestry Licensing Dashboard up until week two of February 2023 shows that a total area of 83ha was planted during the first six weeks last year.
Up until the week ending on Friday, February 9, the DAFM issued a total of 59 licences for 490ha, which equals the number of planting licence applications received.
Of this total 13 afforestation licences were issued last week, allowing for 101ha. During the corresponding period last year, no planting licences were issued.
Planting rates and licence output by the DAFM was significantly impacted last year by a delay in EU State Aid approval for Ireland’s Forestry Programme 2023-2027.
Afforestation target
The DAFM’s Forestry Licensing Plan 2024 shows that the number of afforestation licence applications fell significantly from 1,226 in 2019 to 614 in 2022.
The DAFM said it has capacity to issue sufficient licences in 2024 to plant 8,000ha, which is the government’s annual planting target set under the Climate Action Plan.
Around 1,000 applications would be required per year to achieve this target. However, the DAFM said the number of licences issued depends on the number of applications received.
The Social, Economic Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA) recently said that the current rate of planting is “under half the amount required” to reach the annual target.
The afforestation scheme as designed is “unworkable”, SEEFA said adding that the scheme must be more “user-friendly” and “guaranteed timelines” must be introduced for decisions.
Schemes
In addition, the DAFM processed 119 planting applications representing 998ha already approved under the previous forestry programme that hadn’t commenced planting.
A total of 320 approvals have been issued to date under the Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme 2023-2027, representing 1,254ha, according to the dashboard.
Under the Native Tree Area scheme there have been 71 approvals processed to date, representing 81.98ha. Woodland Improvement Scheme applications are currently being received.
Forestry licences
The DAFM’s latest Forestry Licensing Dashboard shows that 21 road licences, 18 private felling and 20 Coillte felling licences were issued last week.
So far in 2024, 109 road licences were issued which allow for the construction of 36km of forest roads. This is in addition to the 8km of forest roads already constructed this year.
Private felling licences issued in the first six week of this year totalled 160 licences, while Coillte licences amounted to 146. Together, these allow for the felling of 3,622ha.