Following the publication of most political party’s manifestos in the lead up to the general election on Friday (November 26), Social, Economic and Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA) has summarised each party’s pledges for the forestry sector.

According to the latest forestry data published by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), a total of 4,360ha has been approved for new planting so far this year.

SEEFA said that “inconsistency has been a hallmark of the last year” and that it is “willing to work with anyone to help advance Irish forestry”.

Fianna Fáil

Fianna Fáil has pledged to address ash dieback through removal programs, research, and replenishment, and will ensure growers have access to essential pest control products.

Some non-forestry specific pledges that will affect foresters includes:

Amalgamate all designated non-timber productive Coillte lands into the National Parks and Wildlife Services (NPWS);
Implement a national invasive species elimination programme;
Extend the network of local authority biodiversity officers nationwide;
Implement the EU Nature Restoration Law to meet rewetting targets state owned lands by the 2040s.

Fine Gael

Fine Gael has promised to ensure an efficient licensing system and roll out farmer-focused supports as part of Ireland’s forestry programme.

It will recognise upfront planting costs and encourage a diverse mix of planting, along with ensuring sufficient funding to combat the impact of ash dieback.

Non-forestry specific pledges that will affect foresters:

Implement new regulations to encourage the use of timber in new building projects;
Ensure the Nature Restoration Law is fairly applied, with sufficient funding and in consultation with local communities to balance conservation with local needs;
Allocate €2 billion each year to the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund.

Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin has proposed a comprehensive review of forestry policy, ensuring it becomes an “opportunity” rather than a “burden” for family farms.

The party plans to expand and restore national parks and native woodlands through €2 million additional current expenditure and €60 million of capital beyond what has been pre-committed.

Sinn Féin also plans to establish a dedicated €300 million nature restoration fund.

Aontú

Aontú’s manifesto does not include specific forestry policies but criticises proposals to quadruple forestry cover and rewet reclaimed land as “unfair to farmers”.

The party opposes the Climate Action Bill and the EU Nature Restoration Law, advocating instead for rural focused solutions and prioritising agriculture in climate funding.

Green Party

The Green Party has pledged to work towards the Climate Action Plan afforestation target of 8,000ha.

The Green Party also promises to introduce a scheme to offer financial and operational support to facilitate private and public landowners to remove diseased ash trees.

The party will also implement the Deer Management Strategy Group recommendations in full to support the establishment of native woodlands through natural regeneration and afforestation.

Some non-forestry specific pledges that will affect foresters:

Develop, implement and fully resource a nature restoration plan;
Advocate for a European Nature Restoration Fund in the EU’s next budget that is separate to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP);
Promote urban nature initiatives, including tree planting, sustainable urban drainage and green space provision.

People Before Profit

People Before Profit plans to change Coillte’s mandate to be solely about promoting biodiversity. It would ban monocultural Sitka spruce forests, allow only mixed forest or native broadleaf to be planted or rewilded.

Non-forestry specific pledges that will affect foresters:

Fund the NPWS to ensure the organisation’s requirements and legal obligations to coordinate the national response to the biodiversity crisis can be fulfilled;
Develop a national nature restoration plan;
Hold a referendum on inserting the rights of nature and the right to a healthy environment into the constitution.

Labour

Labour pledges to protect public forests, compensate for ash dieback, expand urban tree planting, and support wood-based industries.

There are also plans to increase planting grants to renew efforts to meet targets and promote cooperation between Coillte and farmers to plant on their land.

The party aims to address ash dieback by reviewing the action plan with proper compensation for clearance and restoration along with the protection of the 15% of trees that have developed natural resistance to aid repopulation.

Some non-forestry specific pledges that will affect foresters:

Expand the commercial semistate sector involvement in renewable energy, energy management services and retrofitting, sustainable afforestation and forest management and bog restoration;
Ringfence funding in the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, and allocate a portion of future windfall tax gains for biodiversity and nature restoration.

Independent Ireland

Independent Ireland has called for a “complete overhaul” of Ireland’s forestry sector. Key proposals include improving compensatory schemes for ash dieback and conducting a review of carbon sequestration, including hedgerows and unmanaged forestry.

The party has also opposed restrictions that negatively impact agricultural or rural land under climate restoration initiatives.

Social Democrats

The Social Democrats have pledged to map existing woodland and remnant forests, and develop management strategies to protect and expand them.

The party wants to publish a new forestry strategy, with an explicit goal of keeping Coillte and Ireland’s forests in public ownership.

Outside of forestry, it will create a revised Climate Action Plan that will allow Ireland to reach international targets by 2030 and avoid €8 billion in fines.

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