asked the Minister for Lands if he will state in respect of County Wicklow the number of holdings at present in the hands of his Department for forestry purposes on which planting has not yet commenced; and if he will state with regard to each such holding (a) the name and situation, (b) the total acreage, (c) the date of acquisition or purchase, and (d) the reason that planting has not yet commenced.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Planting of County Wicklow Holdings.
56.
The plantable reserve position at Wicklow forests has been a source of anxiety to my Department in recent years and so far from there being any general delay, as the Deputy seems to imply, in the planting of areas acquired, the position is that in order to maintain the programme many areas have to be put on for planting too soon after acquisition to permit of proper management planning and the maintenance of a stable labour force.
The reserve of land actually available for planting at 31st March, 1962, at Wickow forests was approximately 1,800 acres. The planting programme in Wicklow has averaged 1,840 acres a year for the past three years. It is a well-accepted principle of forest management that the annual planting programme should at all times be not more than one third of the plantable reserve.
Preparation of the detailed list requested by the Deputy would be impracticable because of the amount of work involved.