An area of 2,121ha has been afforested so far this year, including 82ha planted in the first two weeks of this month, according to figures by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The most recent Forestry Licensing Dashboard shows that 621 afforestation licences have been issued so far this year, allowing for plantings of 4,447ha, which is higher than last year’s total (4,246ha) and in 2020 (4,342ha).
While Ireland’s current afforestation level also exceeds the total area planted last year (2,016ha), an area of 314ha would need to be planted over the next weeks to reach 2020 levels (2,435ha).
Monthly planting this year ranged from highs of 290ha in March to lows of 69ha in January 2022, according to the DAFM’s Forestry Licensing Dashboard.
In the first two weeks of November until Friday 11, a total of 32 afforestation; 24 road; 58 private felling; and 81 Coillte felling licences have been issued.
Felling and roads
In total, 621 afforestation; 2,894 felling; and 661 road licences have been issued so far this year. The number of applications received currently stands at 359; 2,356; and 527 respectively.
Up until the second week of November 2022, the DAFM approved the construction of 266km of forestry roads and the felling of 40,989ha of forests.
Forestry roads of 64km have been constructed this year to date, compared to 70km and 98km in the entire last year and in 2020 respectively.
The area of forests approved for felling this year is already significantly higher than last year and in 2020, at 32,855ha and 18,241ha respectively.
Licence output
Minister of State at the DAFM with responsibility for land use and biodiversity, Pippa Hackett previously said licence output has increased by 34% within one year, stating that the backlog in applications continues to drop.
Following the announcement of a €1.3 billion Forestry Programme, concerns have been raised that planting might come to a halt over the next weeks as higher grant and premium rates will only be available from January 2023.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue recently told Agriland the DAFM wants to see a “step change” in afforestation levels from the start of next year.