asked the Minister for Lands whether recent statements made by him in the Dáil are to be taken as indicating that the Government has abandoned the target of planting 25,000 acres of new forests annually; and, if so, what is the annual plantation target which the present Government has set as its objective.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Afforestation.
The previous Government had, as the House is aware, sought advice from the F.A.O. authorities in regard to the practicability and desirability of pursuing the 25,000 acre annual planting programme which it envisaged. The resultant report, furnished last February, has recently been made available to the House. The report is being carefully examined by the Government and the whole question of future proper development of afforestation is under review. The Deputy may rest assured that it is the Government's intention to pursue forestry development at the greatest rate practicable in the national interest.
May we take it it is not the intention of the Government to reduce the target of 25,000 acres per year? If I may correct the Minister, I do not think that the purpose of the F.A.O. was to determine whether the 25,000 acres per year target was a good one. It was to obtain the assistance of their experts in carrying out that programme.
Nothing the Minister has said so far points to the fact that he intends to reduce the target.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state in respect of the lands vested in the forestry division (excluding nurseries) the approximate area occupied by the different species and ages of trees on the last convenient date.
Accurate information on the lines requested by the Deputy cannot readily be furnished.
Plantations are not always laid down in pure stands of one species and subsequent replantings in replacement of plants that fail further alter the original character of plantations.
Ignoring species of which less use is made and basing the calculations on the planting programme of recent years, the Department's plantations are made up broadly of conifer species as follows:—
|
Scots Pine |
20% |
of about 135,000 acres |
|
Pinus Contorta |
20% |
do. |
|
Norway Spruce |
20% |
do. |
|
Sitka Spruce |
20% |
do. |
|
European Larch |
10% |
do. |
|
Japanese Larch |
10% |
do. |
Hardwoods are planted on a much smaller scale, as land of a sufficiently high quality for hardwood propagation is only rarely available. Hardwoods occupy about 7,000 acres of the State plantations and consist mainly of oak, ash, beech and elm. The cultivation of hardwoods is being provided for in the present nursery programme so as to utilise in this way as much as possible of the old plantations taken over by the Department.
The following are particulars of the age groups of the Department's plantations:—
|
1—5 yrs. old |
34,600 |
|
6—10 yrs. old |
20,650 |
|
11—15 yrs. old |
35,100 |
|
16—20 yrs. old |
23,800 |
|
21—25 yrs. old |
16,400 |
|
26—30 yrs. old |
7,900 |
|
Over 30 yrs. old |
2,700 |