The area of land that was afforested in Ireland in 2022 was 13% higher than it was in 2021, according to data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The area afforested in 2022 was 2,273ha compared to 2,106ha afforested in 2021.
Broadleaf species comprised 42% of the afforestation area last year, while Sitka spruce trees accounted for 49% of the 2022 afforestation area.
959ha of broadleaf trees were planted last year, while 1,314ha of conifer trees were planted. Both figures are increases on the same figures for 2021 (which were 829ha and 1,187ha respectively).
Areas planted by farmers accounted for 23% of the total afforested area in 2022, at 520ha, compared to 1,754ha planted by non-farmers. There was no afforestation carried out by the public sector in 2022, according to the data.
The average afforestation parcel size in 2022 was the highest since 2010, at 7.4ha, compared to 7.1ha in 2021. Overall, 309 separate afforestation parcels were planted last year, compared to 284 parcels in 2021.
Of the total number of parcels, 145 were smaller than 5ha; 93 were between 5ha and 10ha; 55 were between 10ha and 20ha; and 16 were greater than 20ha.
Co. Cork accounted for 18%, or 400ha, of the total afforested area in 2022, more than any other county.
It was followed by Co. Clare at 211ha (9.3% of the total area) and Co. Roscommon at 176ha (7.7% of the total area).
Looking at the breakdown of conifer trees planted, Sitka spruce accounted for the vast majority of these, with 1,116ha planted.
69ha of Norway spruce was planted, while Scots pine accounted for 63ha.
2ha of Serbian spruce was planted, and ‘other conifers’ accounted for 63ha.
Turning to the species of broadleaf trees that were planted in 2022, the large majority were accounted for by trees classed under ‘other broadleaves’ in the CSO data.
For those broadleaf species accounted for by name, birch accounted for the greatest share for a single species, at 130ha. This was followed by 85ha of alder, 54ha of downy birch, 30ha of sessile oak, 25ha of hazel, 5ha of sycamore, and 1ha each of beech, red oak, and silver birch.
No ash was planted in 2022, according to the data.