Vol. 498 No. 1
45 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if the planned target will be achieved in new forestry plantations during 1999; and the percentage of that total acreage that will consist of the broad leaf varieties. [26307/98]
The planting target set by the strategic plan for the forestry sector is 25,000 hectares annually to the year 2000 and 20,000 hectares annually thereafter to the year 2035. Planting in 1997 at 12,000 hectares was substantially below target.
While it is not possible at this stage to indicate the precise level of planting in the current year, it is likely to be somewhat higher, in the order of 14,000 hectares. Current expectations are that broadleaf planting will account for approximately 20 per cent of total planting.
