Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has called for European policy objectives to support sustainable forestry development.
The minister is attending the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels today (Monday, November 20).
Discussions took place on the EU Forest Strategy, the EU Deforestation Regulation, and the ‘For Forest Group’ from Austria, Finland, Slovenia, and Sweden.
Minister McConalogue said that member states should be supported to encourage the planting of trees to meet a variety of different needs.
The minister noted that policies must support all aspects of sustainability. He said:
“The three dimensions of sustainability – environmental, economic and social, are equally important.
“This position is reflected in Ireland’s national forest strategy. We need a policy environment that supports the planting of the right tree in the right place for the right reason with the right management.”
Forestry
The forestry licensing dashboard up to the first week of November shows that 87 afforestation applications have been received by the department so far in 2023.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has issued 42 afforestation licences to date this year.
This is is approximately 2% of what is required for the government to meet afforestation targets, according to the Social, Economic Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA).
The minister also said at the meeting that farmers, fishers and foresters are the “bedrock” of the rural economy.
While discussing the long-term vision for rural areas, Minister McConalogue said that European farmers face ongoing challenges to provide food while also ensuring the sustainable management of the environment.
The council agreed that support for rural areas should reflect the “pivotal role” they play to meet the economic, environmental and social challenges the EU and its member states are facing, including the ones created by the “current geopolitical situation”.