The number of hectares planted this year to date has reached 716ha, which is just under 9% of the annual target, according to the latest forestry dashboard.
The government has set an annual target of 8,000ha of new forests to be planted in order to increase the national forestry area to 18%.
The Social, Economic and Environmental Forestry Association of Ireland (SEEFA) has said that these figures highlights “severe underperformance” and “longstanding issues” facing the industry.
The dashboard, published by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), shows that 257 afforestation licenses relating to 2,117ha have been issued this year to date.
The Forestry Licencing Plan 2024 estimates that 1,000 afforestation applications would be the required to meet planting targets.
The department data shows that 716ha of land had been afforested up to June 28.
The figures for afforestation planted in 2024 only reflect afforestation that has been paid at first grant stage this year to date, including under the Native Area Tree Scheme (NTAS).
Forestry felling
There have been 948 felling licenses issued so far in 2024, down from 1,575 for the same period last year.
Private felling licenses accounted for 563 out of 948 total this year, and Coillte felling licenses accounted for 385 of those.
SEEFA has stated that felling licenses remain “alarmingly low”, with most of the year’s performance not even reaching a third of what was achieved in 2023.
The dashboard also shows that 460 licenses have been granted so far this year for 168km of forestry roads.
SEEFA stated that road licensing has “stagnated and will continue to do so” until afforestation licensing increases.
“Urgent reforms are needed to revitalise the forestry sector. We must enhance incentives to plant, streamline licensing and review the forestry programme now before 2025 becomes another wasted year,” SEEFA stated.