The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has received a total of 345 valid applications for planting licences so far this year.
The number of planting licences issued, however, stands at 218 in the year-to-date up until Friday, June 7, the DAFM’s latest Forestry Licensing Dashboard shows.
The licences issued by the DAFM so far this year allow for the planting of 1,817ha. This includes 11 licences issued last week which approve the planting of 87ha.
In total, 565ha have been planted so far in 2024, including 35ha in the first week of June. However, this only reflects the afforestation which has been paid at first grant stage.
This total also includes the Native Tree Area Scheme (NTAS) under which farmers can plant up to 1ha of native woodland without a licence, or up to 2ha along a watercourse.
The DAFM has issued 223 approvals under the NTAS so far this year, which allows for small-scale planting across a total area of 242ha, according to the latest dashboard.
An area of 1,445ha has been approved under the Reconstitution of Ash Dieback Scheme in the year-to-date, while 339ha have been approved under the Woodland Improvement Scheme.
DAFM forestry licences
In addition to the planting licences, the DAFM issued 13 licences for the construction of forestry roads, 18 licences for private felling, and 21 licences for felling by Coillte.
In total, 27km of forest roads have been constructed up until June 7 this year, of which 1km was constructed last week. The DAFM has issued a total of 427 road licences for the year-to-date.
The felling licences issued last week, across both private felling and Coillte felling, allow for the clear felling of 203ha and the thinning of 309ha, according to the dashboard.
Meanwhile, the Social, Economic, Environmental Forestry Association (SEEFA) said that “barriers to afforestation need to be assessed now, before it is too late.” Commenting on the 565ha planted year-to-date, SEEFA said:
“This shockingly low figure comes as [the] planting season comes to an end, giving little indication that anywhere near the 8,000ha annual target will be achieved.
“With this year’s target now seemingly impossible, and next year looking increasingly like it may be more of the same, will we actually ever see this forestry programme’s target achieved?”