Last week, 182ha were licensed for afforestation, marking the second consecutive week that DAFM has met the “minimum target pace”.
This is according to the Social, Economic and Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA).
The association stated that this “positivity” on afforestation comes at a time when planting rates remain “sluggish” as there is less than a third of the targeted weekly pace being achieved, and private felling remains “far from sustainable levels”.
SEEFA explained that current department policies and approaches to afforestation “will reduce the productive forest area by 48,500ha by 2040” which “will have severe consequences for the forestry and construction sectors”.
While Ireland has “perfect conditions to produce homegrown lumber,” the government inaction means timber “will be imported to meet our housing needs for many years to come” the association stated.
The timber trade to Ireland was dealt an unexpected blow last week following the export of conifer logs from the pest-free area of Scotland into Ireland ceasing on a precautionary basis, following the finding of larch bark beetles at a port in Cork.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) found three Ips cembrae beetles, commonly known as the large larch bark beetle, in one of its pheromone traps at Passage West Port in Cork.
Following confirmed findings by the Irish forestry inspectors, Scottish authorities have ceased all exports of logs with immediate effect until a full investigation takes place.
Forestry licensing
Some 450 valid afforestation applications have been submitted to the department so far this year.
The department has issued a total of 702 licences for felling on private plantations and 652 permits for felling on Coillte sites so far this year.
There were 14 licences issued last week for forestry roads, bringing the overall total to 614 licences issued by August 23.
An additional 6 licences were granted for the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme bringing the total so far this year to 559 licences for 2,017ha.
There has been 278 licences issued for the NTAS (304ha) since the programme commenced, and 134 for the Woodland Improvement Scheme (WIS) covering 758ha.