Ireland Unveils New €1.3 Billion Forestry Program

On Thursday (11-3-22), the Republic of Ireland unveiled a new forestry program worth €1.3 billion. The fund will see payments to farmers for planting trees rise between 46% and 66%, and payments will continue for 20 years rather than the current 15 years.

The funding will be channeled through the new forestry program that will run from 2023 until 2030, and it represents the largest investment by the state in afforestation. A target of 8,000 hectares of forestry planting per annum is contained in the Climate Action Plan, but Ireland is currently only planting 2,000 hectares.

The new program is built around the principle of the right trees, in the right places, for the right reasons, with the right management. It aims to deliver more diverse forests which will meet multiple societal objectives, social and environmental.

Higher grant rates for forest establishments are also proposed with increases of approximately 20% to reflect rising costs of living. A new one-hectare native tree area scheme will also make it easier for landowners who wish to plant small areas of trees on their farms.