The area of new forestry planted by farmers accounted for 47% of total afforestation in 2023, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The figures published today (Tuesday, June 25) shows that 1,651ha was afforested last year, a 27% decrease from the 2,273ha planted in 2022.
The CSO data is based on analysis of the area afforested under Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) schemes.
Afforestation is the planting of trees on land not previously under forest.
Afforestation
Last year, farmers planted 773ha of trees, non-farmers planted 877ha, while the public sector was responsible for 2ha.
There were 287 afforestation parcels in 2023, which an average size of 5.8ha. In 2022, there were 309 parcels with an average size of 7.4ha.
The data shows that broadleaf species comprised 54% (899ha) of the 2023 afforestation area, up from 42% in the previous year.
This marks the first year that broadleaf species have comprised the majority of species planted since the CSO series began.
Sitka spruce accounted for 39% of the 2023 afforestation area with 636ha of the species planted.
CSO
The CSO data shows that afforestation rates have been on a downward trajectory since 2016, apart from a slight increase in 2022.
The highest annual afforestation area was recorded in 2010 when 8,314ha was planted.
Niamh Shanahan, statistician in the CSO environment division, said the report shows the area afforested in 2023 was just 24% of the area planted in 2007 (6,947ha).
“The share of afforested area planted by farmers in 2023 was 47% which was a large increase on their 2022 share of 23%, but a sharp decline from their 2014 share of 97%.
“Alder and ash were the main broadleaf species planted during 2007 to 2013 while alder and birch were the main species from 2015 to 2023.
“Sitka Spruce was the dominant conifer species and comprised 84% of coniferous species in 2023,” she said.
“The highest average parcel size of afforested area over the 2007-2023 period was 8.4 ha in 2009.
“In 2023 it was 5.8 ha which was the lowest average parcel size across the 2007-2023 period,” Shanahan added.
The CSO data shows that Roscommon had the highest county share of the total afforested area in 2023 at 11% or 189ha.
This was followed by Galway with 139ha (8.4%), Mayo on 131ha (7.9%), and Cork, which had 127ha (7.7%).
There was no afforestation recorded in Dublin in 2023, while the lowest rates were reported in Monaghan (10ha), Wexford (14ha) and Waterford (19ha).