The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has published a report confirming a drop in afforestation in recent years. The afforestation figure for 2021 amounted to just 29% of the area planted in 2007. Last year, 2,016ha of land was planted with forestry, compared to 6,947ha in 2007. Figures indicate that afforestation peaked in 2010 with 8,314ha planted, while the highest afforestation parcel size was 8.4ha in 2009.
Statistician in the Environment and Climate Division of the CSO, Niamh Shanahan, says the proportion of broadleaf species planted in 2021 was 41% which is the highest share in the 2007-2021 series. The report outlines that Alder and ash were the main broadleaf species planted during 2007 to 2013, while alder and birch were the main species from 2015 to 2021.
Shanahan says Sitka spruce is the dominant conifer species and comprised 86% of coniferous species in 2021. Norway spruce, Scots pine and Douglas fir were among the other conifers planted last year. “The share of afforested area planted by farmers in 2021 was 18% which was a sharp decline from their 2014 share of 97%,” Shanahan explained.
In 2007, almost 6,500ha was planted by farmers compared to nearly 500ha by non-farmers in 2007. Last year, farmers accounted for 360ha with non-farmers planting 1,657ha.
The State has previously set a target to increase the annual afforestation level to an annual 20,000 hectares to the year 2030. But this was amended to just 8,000 hectares after significant licensing difficulties for planting and felling were encountered by the Department of Agriculture.