Afforestation programme payments amounted to €61.4 million in 2022, a decrease of 1.4% when compared to 2021 according to the latest data published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Forest roads payments declined from €4.2 million in 2011 to €2.8 million in 2022 while forest roads payments covered 70km of forest roads in 2022.
According to the CSO, Cork accounted for 14% of main afforestation programme payments in 2022.
Commenting on this latest data, Niamh Shanahan, statistician in the Environment and Climate Division of the CSO, said: “Main afforestation programme payments in 2022 were €61 million. This was a 43% decrease from the highest figure of €108 million in 2010.
“Co. Cork had the highest afforestation programme payments in every year. Cork accounted for 14% of the afforestation programme payments in 2022 followed by Kerry (8%), Clare (8%), and Galway (6%).
“Payments for forest roads were highest in the series in 2011 with €4.2 million for 116km and declined to €2.8 million for 70kn in 2022,” she added.
Kerry accounted for 15% of forest road payments in 2022, followed by Cork (11%) and Roscommon (10%).
Afforestation payments
Eligibility for grant aid for forest road construction changed in 2008 focusing on private forest owners rather than public bodies and partly explains the reduction in funding over the period, according to the CSO.
Forest road construction by public bodies continued over the same period without grant aid and the CSO has not included those figures.
Financial support is provided for both the establishment and maintenance of new forests and woodlands.
Set-up grants cover up to 100% of total costs. An annual premium per hectare is available with the rate depending on the species of trees planted.
Grants are payable in two instalments. Application for payment of the first instalment grant and first premium may be made following planting.
The second instalment can be claimed four years after planting has been completed.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) computerised mapping and payment system (iFORIS) is used to capture a digital representation of the payment area based on the applicant’s claim map.
Where an afforestation project involves an area of 50ha or greater, the application for approval must be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement.