SEEFA: Forestry can ‘play central role' in Ireland’s climate ambitions
Irish forestry is now “uniquely positioned to play a central role in delivering the country’s climate action targets”, according to the Social Economic Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA).
It added that recent improvements in departmental processes and support schemes have removed several long-standing barriers that previously hindered the sector’s growth and effectiveness, noting that delays in forestry licensing have eased.
According to SEEFA, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) “has committed to processing licence applications within six months, or up to nine months where additional environmental reporting is required”.
The association referred to this as “a major step forward" that will allow the sector to focus on future development.
It also welcomed "enhancements" to key support programmes, particularly the "improved" Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme for Ash Dieback (RADS), the newly introduced Windblow Reconstitution Scheme, and the Forest Certification iPlan scheme.
The association added that it remained confident that such measures would help restore confidence and stability within the forestry sector.
Forestry Programme 2028
According to SEEFA, attention should shift towards the next national Forestry Programme, scheduled to begin on January 1, 2028.
The association stressed the importance of having the programme “finalised and ready for rollout on time”, to ensure delays are avoided.
"The new programme should serve both the forestry industry and farmers, ensuring forestry remains a viable and attractive land-use option.
“A successful forestry programme could be well supported in reaching national afforestation targets if tree planting measures are properly aligned with agri-environmental objectives," SEEFA said.
Integrating forestry
The association went on to say that embedding forestry measures more firmly within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan (NRP) could increase afforestation rates.
"The CAP and the NRP present a major opportunity for Ireland to reverse declining afforestation rates and adopt a more integrated approach to land management.”
SEEFA also highlighted what it saw as a need to restore balance between commercial forestry and environmental objectives.
It said: “Recent forestry programmes have placed excessive emphasis on environmental measures at the expense of commercial viability.
“The next programme must address this imbalance to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.”
It added that data obtained through parliamentary questions “highlights a dramatic shift over the past three decades”.
In April of this year, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said: “In area terms, there has been a 95% reduction in the planting of Sitka spruce from 12,970ha in 1993 to 701ha in 2025.
“In 2016, the area of Sitka spruce planted was 4,554ha. In 2025, nearly two-thirds (65.9%) of the area was afforested with broadleaves, mostly native broadleaves.”
According to SEEFA: “This trend could lead to a significant shortage of domestically produced timber, particularly for the housing and construction sectors.
"Without corrective action, Ireland may face increased reliance on imported timber or even constraints on construction activity.”
The group said that it plans to engage with Minister Niall Collins - the newly appointed Minister for State with responsibility for forestry - and DAFM to ensure forestry can achieve its potential and be front and centre to Ireland's carbon net zero efforts.
SEEFA highlighted that Ireland’s Climate Action Plan described afforestation as “the single largest land-based climate change mitigation measure available to Ireland”.
“The next forestry programme, Common Agricultural Policy and Nature Restoration Plan must reflect this in policy," it added.
