Forestry Sector: Motion [Private Members]

Deputy Eamon Ryan

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

acknowledges:

— that Ireland has the second lowest forest cover in the European Union (EU) at 11 per cent, compared to a European average of 30 per cent and that the majority of the forests are monocultures;

— that the State forestry policy has been predominantly based on a rotation, clear-fell and replant cycle using monoculture;

— that the extent of hedgerows declined massively during the 20th century but has since recovered slightly;

— that having started from a forest cover of 1 per cent in 1923, the State and the forestry industry has grown substantially, and afforestation has brought major positive benefits including the development of a forestry sector and forest products industry that currently employs 12,000 people;

— that aspects of the current afforestation model, in particular the emphasis on largescale monoculture have, in some cases, had negative impacts on local communities, biodiversity, water quality and landscapes;

— that in the light of the need to address the challenges of the climate and biodiversity emergency, now is the time to move to the next stage in Irish forestry;

— that it is desirable for the forestry system to provide a range of services in a way which strengthens local communities, provides employment for a new generation of foresters and access for the public to more varied woodlands, which are rich in biodiversity;

— that there is a potential for higher value, higher quality wood products from Irish forests, including a potential for long-lasting products as low carbon inputs for construction and other sectors and as stores of sequestered carbon for the lifetime of the buildings and products;

— the declining populations in certain rural areas, the high average age of farmers, and the developing crisis in Irish agriculture; and

— the inappropriate nature of current land use in many parts of Ireland, including the inability to make a living from current farming models and the difficulty for young people who might want to work on the land to get access to land which they do not directly inherit;

notes:

— the impacts of biodiversity loss and the loss of ecosystem services, and the consequent economic losses and risks we face globally and in Ireland;

— the gravity of the global biodiversity crisis, including the loss of species, the loss of important populations of species and the undermining of ecosystem services;

— the vital role of land use in the hydrological cycle, managing flooding and drought, maintaining water quality and dealing with pollution and the role which changed land use practices must play in meeting the objectives of improving water quality in line with the EU Water Framework Directive;

— the vulnerability of even-aged monoculture plantations, e.g. to disease, fire and windthrow, especially given the increasing dangers of climate change;

— the role which changed land use practices must play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in sequestering and storing carbon, and in providing resilience to the effects of climate change;

— the essential role that afforestation, land use and soil carbon management must play in Ireland’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) 2021-2030, which is to be drafted by the end of this year; and

— the commitments Ireland has entered into, in the context of the Natura 2000 network and the EU Birds and Habitats Directives to protect habitats and species, and the fact that Ireland is failing to meet those commitments and that biodiversity loss is continuing, as demonstrated in Ireland’s reports under Article 16 of the EU Birds and Habitats Directive;

agrees:

— that Ireland was once covered by great forests and that our mild climate and the influence of the Gulf Stream make for one of the best habitats for trees in the world;

— that the Irish population wants to spend more time in nature and the public health benefits of enabling them to do so;

— the economic value of ecotourism and associated economic activities; and

— that the success of rewilding initiatives in other countries, and the plans for a recognised wilderness area in the Nephin range, as well as Coillte’s recent recognition of the amenity value of forestry in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains; and

calls on the Government to:

— make a fundamental change in forestry policy away from a narrow vision of 30 year cycle to a permanent woodland approach that would provide greater and more diverse social, environmental and economic benefits to society as a whole;

— move away from large-scale monoculture of fast-growing species such as Sitka spruce on ‘marginal land’ towards mixed, diverse forestry, with a wider range of forest types (short rotation, longer rotations, agroforestry, semi-wild) delivering a range of services and benefits and forest products;

— rebalance the premiums and payments made for planting and thinning to support this strategic change in Irish forestry;

— start the restoration of large areas of natural woodlands, formerly the dominant terrestrial ecosystems of Ireland, including the productive use of much of them through a system of continuous cover and close to nature forestry;

— begin a national programme of transformation of existing young, even-aged monoculture forests to continuous cover forestry;

— implement the recommendation of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action, accepted and endorsed by the Dáil on 9th May, for a review of land use to inform a national land use plan;

— establish a system of local forestry plans, developed in an open participative process including all parts of civil society, in each county, informed by the national land-use plan, which would form the framework for Government support for small-scale afforestation in the county;

— use Strategic Environmental Assessment to develop these local forestry plans, to ensure the meeting of objectives, including carbon sequestration, water quality and hydrology, biodiversity protection and restoration, landscape and public amenity;

— provide for these local forestry plans to include financial support for small-scale afforestation with mixed woodland with a high proportion of native species in all parts of the country;

— provide budgetary support to enable every registered farm holding to plant a hectare of natural woodland on their land within the next five years, on agreed sites within the farm which minimise the effect on farm operations and maximise the biodiversity and ecosystem service benefits;

— develop opportunities for community ownership of and community investment in afforestation within national forestry policy and local forestry plans;

— reorient national supports and incentives for afforestation in line with the local forestry plans in the direction of forestry closer to nature;

— provide better support for the restoration and planting of new hedgerows to provide biodiversity corridors, carbon shelters and nutrients in our agricultural system;

— engage local authorities and local communities in a radical expansion of urban tree planting and neighbourhood and community forests and for urban trees and forests;

— resource the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the National Council for Forest Research and Development (COFORD) and forestry non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at a level appropriate for them to carry out all of their functions and develop new areas of responsibility;

— review the objectives and legal structure of Coillte to establish a new mandate for the company which delivers multiple benefits from forestry, including environmental and community objectives as well as the production of high-quality timber;

— establish better educational infrastructure and funding to support apprenticeship programmes in forest management in line with the new forestry policy;

— increase investment in higher and further education and training as well as for the modernisation of equipment available for craft apprenticeship provision to conduct such a transformation of existing strands; and

— promote the use of high-quality wood materials in new building construction, including by amending building regulations, and to encourage Irish enterprise agencies to further support the development of local enterprises which develop a wide range of products to use natural wood material.

I will share time with Deputy Catherine Martin after 15 minutes. This motion is introduced as part of what I believe our response should be to the climate and biodiversity crisis this House declared before the summer break. Completely changing, upgrading, modernising and reinventing the model for forestry in Irish woodlands is the biggest way in which we can tackle the climate crisis. We need to suck carbon out of the atmosphere and the best solution technologically, economically and in a variety of ways is the planting and growing of trees. As we see in reports under Article 12 of the birds directive and Article 17 of the habitats directive - not Article 16, as cited in the motion - we are also in the middle of a biodiversity crisis. Changing the model of forestry is one of the best ways to address that crisis. I will set out the reasons for that view in my opening contribution.

I move this motion while holding in high regard everyone in Irish forestry down through the years. They have achieved a transition in our country. At the foundation of the State only 1% of the country was covered in native forestry, mostly in very inaccessible locations. We have increased that to approximately 11%. That, however, is a fraction of the covered area in most European countries. The average European forest cover is approximately 30% of land area. We have significant room, particularly as a country with some of the best growing conditions for trees in the world, to increase that cover to help us tackle the climate crisis. How this is done will be critical in tackling the biodiversity crisis.

I recognise the foresters who have worked in this industry over the years. They have done so with real intent and with proper motivation. They were engaged in a proper public service. We need to recognise a number of things, however. First, the level of afforestation carried on in the country has been declining dramatically for the last 25 years or so. In 1993 we were planting in the region of 23,000 ha of forest. Last year that was down to approximately 4,000 ha. There has been a continuous downward spiral over that 25-year period.

There are 12,000 people working in this sector and they are critical to our rural areas and the country in general. While I recognise and appreciate the work of everyone who has been involved in the forestry sector I believe that, looking back, we do need to change. We have already changed but we should recognise that the change was a mistake. Much of our initial forestry, particularly State-planted forestry, was carried out on marginal uplands. These could be got at a low price, which may explain why they were chosen. These were not the right places to afforest. This choice had massive consequences with regard to the drainage of our soils, often in wet peatlands, and with regard to biodiversity loss in those areas. We often created forests that are relatively inaccessible, difficult to harvest, and not in the right place to gain the full benefit from them.

The second thing we need to recognise is that the emphasis on plantations, particularly monocultural plantations, was also a mistake. I hope the Government recognises this but I fear its reported opposition to this motion shows it still does not. It was a mistake for a variety of reasons. The first is the loss of biodiversity it entailed. This is a complex issue. The science in this regard is interesting. It is very interesting to read, "The role of planted forests in the provision of habitat: an Irish perspective" by Cormac J. O’Callaghan, Sandra Irwin, Kenneth Byrne and John O’Halloran of University College Cork and University College Dublin. It sets out in great detail the complex interactions in these plantations. In some of these monoculture plantations some species have thrived. The red squirrel survives at the top of conifers in a way the grey squirrels cannot.

That has helped them to come back. It is the same with the pine martin. The monocultural forests we have planted may have been good for midges or aphids, but they have been really poor for other insects, including spiders, and for birdlife. We want that biodiversity back in our forestry model. Even where we have made changes, requiring a mix with 10% native trees or hardwood trees with conifers, the analysis from the academics is that the monoculture plantation system is still not rich in biodiversity. At the heart of the change we make in forestry must be putting nature first and returning to close to nature forestry management that restores biodiversity in every way possible.

The recent study of the UCD department of forestry and others examined the socio-economic impact of forestry in Leitrim. Some of the statistics on the current model were particularly interesting. All our attention is on lumber and producing timber, but if we ask how much carbon storage occurs, we learn that half the timber is effectively turned into sawdust, woodchip or bark. The latter products are used immediately, meaning they have no carbon storage potential. Of the wood that is processed, about 22% is used for fencing and 24% for pallets. Only one quarter of the wood we are growing is for timber products used in the construction of buildings or in other areas where the carbon is stored for a period. Other forestry systems around Europe, which have more continuous cover and are long term, achieve much higher value and get much better wood products. That is the third reason I believe we need to change.

That is what this motion is about. It is not about criticising those currently involved in forestry. It states it is now time for us to make an evolutionary leap. I want to set out how I believe that could take place. First, we need to move away from monoculture plantations with short rotations whereby we chop down the trees every 35 or 40 years in a clear-felling system and plant again, having left the land devastated. We need to move to multi-age and multi-species forestry. Continuous cover forestry, rather than being marginal, could be central. It is complex and the forestry management skills are very sophisticated. One of the advantages of this system is that it will require a generation of foresters to be very skilled such that they can look at a forest as it is developing and say a certain tree is the one with the best prospect of growing, requiring the removal of the surrounding trees to create light within the forest. It is light management as much as anything else in the new forestry systems that deliver very high-quality, long-term timber and biodiverse natural forest. This represents the leap and change we need to make. That will provide a lot of employment because it involves skill and is very labour intensive. It will provide a continuous stream of thinnings. It would also provide a more natural forest that is actually a joy to walk through rather than the current forests, which tend to be very dark and dense do not have a bottom canopy. Every 35 years, the latter are chopped down, with consequences for water run-off and soil retention. A range of other biodiversity losses come with it.

Second, there is a considerable and immediate role for the massive expansion of agroforestry. We should, as set out in the motion, tell all of the 120,000 Irish farmers that we want to give them a special premium, especially in this difficult time when we are facing all sorts of difficulties over Brexit and uncertainty over what we are going to do to the land. We should ask them to find, with their local advisers, those spots of the farms that could be converted to native woodland. It would not involve taking from the core farming system but would involve using the corner of the field. We do not want the farmers using the wetlands areas of their farms because we want to restore them for birds and for rich habitat reasons. We want the farmers to add to the hedgerows and connect them with the pockets of woodland in our farm system, particularly using native trees of local progeny. By doing this, we are connecting up the remaining 100,000 ha of native woodland, only 20,000 ha of which is really historic and ancient. It can be connected by using our farms and paying our farmers properly to engage in this sort of agroforestry. It provides shelter and nutrients that help the fields. It gives the farmers a wood supply, an energy source and a natural landscape that is very valuable and beneficial to us as human beings.

It is vital that this also be regarded as an urban issue. It was very interesting to note that there was a special meeting called by the Pembroke residents association in Dublin last Sunday. One could not get more urban than that. At the meeting, the botany experts from Trinity and UCD made the case that urban trees have a significant role to play. Large trees with a large canopy on a street act as an air filter. They take a lot of the particulate matter from traffic and other air pollution sources and filter it before the air gets to the house, just as with sand. They restore streets to being places that comprise a natural environment in their own right. We are not building our streets around the trees.

We just carried out a massive expansion of the docklands. The academics from UCD and Trinity showed shocking maps of where trees are. They are pretty much in the wealthy, leafy suburbs, and that is it. The Phoenix Park is an example. In the docklands, which we have just redeveloped, there is hardly a tree. The poorer areas across the city, which may suffer worse from air pollution and need and deserve a rich environment, have been left bereft of a green canopy. Dublin and every other city in Ireland is relatively low down the international scale in terms of trees. The canopy proportion is about 10% compared with Helsinki, where it is about 46%. That is what we should be aiming to have.

It was very interesting to listen to Pádraic Fogarty of the Irish Wildlife Trust giving a presentation in the audiovisual room earlier today. There is an increasing realisation across the world and in the modern, very advanced leading forestry systems that, rather than opting for a very expensive and intrusive system using pesticides, glyphosates and all sorts of interventions, including the plastic wrappers we put around new trees to help them grow, we can let trees seed themselves. A canopy of scrub or brush is allowed to develop low down and out of that native trees grow on their own. They will be well suited to their location because, over hundreds of thousands of years, they will have become more resistant to diseases such as ash dieback than the imported trees that caused such a problem in recent years. Rewilding will be one of the most significant ways to meet our carbon sequestration targets and restore a landscape of which people are proud and that is rich in biodiversity.

The Minister is smiling.

Deputy Michael Creed

It is my disposition. I cannot help it.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

Fair enough. I hope it is not because the Minister believes rewilding is not a serious proposition and a serious part of what we need to do, because it is central to our future forestry plans.

Our legacy from the past 50 years comprises all the plantations that will give our mills and all the industry we have set up a supply, but we must move away from the monoculture plantation system. We must be especially wary about the prospect of bioenergy providing a viable long-term solution because it does not result in the effective storage of carbon. I am coming back to the same argument I have had with the Minister on a number of occasions. We need a national land use plan to map out the new change, the new future, for Irish woodlands. Beneath that, we need county and local area plans to work out the best applications in various types of lands and various types of farms and woodland that go hand in hand with the rewilding we are to engage in. We need to change the premiums we pay to support this change in the whole model. We need to use Common Agricultural Policy reform to pay farmers properly for some of the rewilding we are going to do. First and foremost, we need to fund the National Biodiversity Data Centre, which is hanging on a thread because it does not have proper funding from the Government. We need to expand the National Parks and Wildlife Service and COFORD to make sure we have the scientific expertise to help local communities to develop the new forestry model.

We need to change the mandate for Coillte and Bord na Móna. Coillte, in particular, must move away from being a company that is mandated to maximise commercial returns from lumber production. It must be charged again with planting all over this country. It should be helping communities to plant for biodiversity and for better water quality. It should see forestry as a natural resource for our people and as something that helps our tourism industry. Coillte should be looking at the production of food and the provision of a whole range of services out of forestry. This is the change that needs to happen. There needs to be a fundamental reappraisal of what we are doing in forestry. If we move towards supporting nature, it will bring us closer to nature and will give us a natural landscape that we cherish and our children and grandchildren will cherish. That is where we want to go with this motion. That is why we have tabled it. We think it is very significant for our climate crisis, for our biodiversity crisis and for the revival of rural Ireland. More than anything else, the land use plan must start with people. Foresters, woodworkers and others who will benefit from this forestry system are willing to make the massive change that is needed.

Deputy Catherine Martin

Tá an Comhaontas Glas sásta an rún seo a thabhairt os comhair na Dála anocht. As Deputy Ryan has outlined, the motion before us follows on from the Joint Committee on Climate Action's recommendation that a review of land use should lead to a national land use plan. This recommendation was accepted and endorsed by the Dáil earlier this year. The exploitation of nature and of the earth is at the root of climate change. In pre-neolithic times, forest cover across this island was more than 80%. When this State was founded almost 100 years ago, forest cover on the island was just 1%. While we have made progress in restoring that - we are now at approximately 11% - we have a long way to go. Rather than focusing on the number of trees, we need to make sure the tree cover we have is appropriate to the area. The motion before the House seeks a fundamental shift to a style of forestry that restores nature. This total change will bring more light, more wildlife and greater diversity of life to our woodlands.

Our motion calls for a more diverse forestry and a more intense style of forestry management, which will help to create steady jobs in the forestry sector while managing continuous native woodlands. These new jobs will need to be supported by educational infrastructure and funding to support apprenticeship programmes in forest management, alongside the modernisation of equipment available for craft apprenticeship provision. If this fundamental shift in forestry is to work, we need to bring communities and farmers along with us. In the past, some farmers have had negative experiences with forestry. If farmers are to come with us on this journey, we need to pay them properly. We need to ensure they receive steady and sustainable incomes for using their lands in the most sustainable manner. We must help them to diversify and enable them to be the leaders on climate action that they can be, given that they are natural caretakers of the land. It is only then that we can develop the best system of land use for our communities, local economies and natural ecosystems. The current system is not serving our farmers, our wildlife, our island or our planet. We need substantial reform of the Common Agricultural Policy to ensure farmers can be paid for rewilding or planting their land.

There are many positive opportunities for local communities and economies in this context. There are employment opportunities for people with an expertise in forestry. Continuous cover forestry is more labour-intensive than clear-fell forestry. This means it can create further employment. When it comes to moving away from a narrow vision of forestry towards a different model, nature is our greatest ally. Self-seeding and rewilding allow nature to do the heavy lifting and to restore itself. This is essential not only for rural areas but also for urban areas. Trees have a role in tackling air pollution in urban areas, increasing quality of life and health and creating streetscapes that keep us closer to nature. This motion is very important for our trees and our wildlife, for protecting the biodiversity of our country and our natural ecosystems and for the quality of life in urban and rural areas. Tackling climate change will require an overhaul of how we do everything, including how we move, how we eat, how we live and how we care for each other and for the planet. By fixing these issues in their entirety, we will have an opportunity to create a fairer, more equal and more sustainable society and global economy. Things as they stand are broken for farmers and for our biodiversity. That is why we need to change radically how we do things. We need to have a radical ambition when it comes to how we use our land. It is time for a different kind of forestry that will lead to a better quality of soil and a better quality of water, is rich in biodiversity, protects our biodiversity and our ecosystems, and puts nature first. It is time to change our relationship with nature to create a better quality of life for all.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Michael Creed)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:

"notes:

— the extent of forestry development achieved over the last number of decades, through the combination of State funding and participation of the private landowners in the State’s afforestation programmes;

— the findings from the third cycle of the National Forest Inventory, that the national forest estate is still expanding and has now reached 11 per cent of the total land area, with a wide variety of forest types present and that share of broadleaf species in the national forest estate is 29 per cent;

— the multi-functional benefits of forestry including environmental, social and economic;

— the contribution which the sector makes to the rural economy through the provision of 12,000 jobs;

— the Government’s commitment to tackling climate change as contained in the ‘Climate Action Plan 2019 To Tackle Climate Breakdown’, and the ambitious targets set for the agriculture, forestry and land use sector therein, including an afforestation target of 8,000 hectares per annum;

— that meeting the afforestation target is challenging and that it will require a collaborative response from Government, private land owners, public bodies and local communities;

— that the enhancements following the 2018 Midterm Review (MTR) of the Government’s Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020, including increased grant and premium rates, have directly led to an increase in the proportion of broadleaf trees planted in Ireland, including a 25 per cent increase last year compared to the previous year;

— that significant increases for planting of agro-forestry were introduced in the MTR with premium rates trebled;

— that initiatives by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine include the introduction, in January 2019, of three new support measures to further support biodiversity in Irish forests, including a scheme to support Continuous Cover Forestry, and changes to the Woodland Improvement Scheme to introduce grant aid to carry out a second thinning intervention for broadleaf forests;

— that afforestation applications are subject to detailed scrutiny regarding environmental suitability, including site inspections, statutory referrals, public consultation, and the application of procedures around Appropriate Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment;

— that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine operates a range of afforestation-related protocols in the context of the Natura 2000 network and the European Union Birds and Habitats Directive to protect habitats and species; and

— that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine provides support, through schemes such as the Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) and under the Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020, to landowners to undertake actions and measures which support and enhance biodiversity; and

recognises:

— the role that hedgerows play in nature-based solutions to both mitigate climate change (carbon sequestration and storage) and help in the creation of landscape resilience in the face of climate change, and notes that 6,758 kilometres of new hedgerows have been established since the introduction of agri-environmental schemes in 1994;

— the funding provided under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine NeighbourWood Scheme to local authorities and other landowners, both public and private, to create 'close-to-home' woodland amenities in partnership with communities, for local people to use and enjoy;

— the growing interest in planting native woodlands under the Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020 is increasing steadily year on year with 374 hectares of native woodlands planted in 2018, an increase of 38 per cent compared to 2017, and this upward trend has continued into 2019 which is ahead of the 2018 planting figure year to date;

— that under the Woodland Improvement Scheme which promotes active management of broadleaf forest, almost 680 hectares of woodlands received support under this scheme this year, this represents a 76 per cent increase in activity when compared to the same time in 2018;

— that support for Continuous Cover Forestry was introduced for the first time in the MTR of the Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020, where funding was allocated for 30 projects up until the end of 2020;

— the establishment by Coillte of a specific entity 'Coillte Nature' within the company to focus on the environment and recreational forests, with Coillte Nature to target the delivery of new woodlands facilitating species diversity, biodiversity and carbon sequestration as part of the Forestry Programme 2014 – 2020;

— that Coillte Nature will be undertaking large discrete projects with a separate noncommercial focus, with the intention of increasing the national forest estate but with a strong emphasis on carbon sequestration, species diversification, biodiversity and the development of outdoor recreation and tourism amenities;

— that the National Council for Forest Research and Development (COFORD) proposes to track the implementation of the recommendations in ‘Forests, products and people – Ireland's forest policy – a renewed vision’ and to monitor and report on progress in implementing the stated strategic actions and to engage and influence stakeholders in relation to policy changes and developments focusing on afforestation and the promotion of forestry; and

— that the continued support of members of the House will be required for the ongoing development of forestry in order to maximise the range of benefits for the economy, society and the environment."

I acknowledge the commitment of successive Governments to afforestation in Ireland. Having started at a low of 1% at the turn of the 20th century, forest cover has grown substantially to the current level of 11%, or 770,000 ha. This is a real economic, social and environmental success story. The State's investment of €3 billion since 1990 has created thousands of jobs across the supply chain from tree nurseries to timber processors. Approximately 23,000 private forest owners, most of whom are farmers, have voluntarily converted their land to tree planations. This has allowed them to diversify their farm incomes, which in turn has had a positive effect on the rural economy. Forestry is a very productive land use. It can complement farming activity and be the difference in making a farm viable. While forestry benefits the rural economy, it also delivers other benefits to society. It makes a critical contribution to mitigating climate change. It is part of the response to climate breakdown of the agriculture and land use sector. While this sector remains the single largest contributor to overall greenhouse gas emissions, at 33% of the total, it should be seen as part of the solution.

The Government's climate action plan has identified a series of actions to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate breakdown. It is the most ambitious environmental strategy ever developed by an Irish Government. Its ambition is matched only by our determination to ensure its full implementation. It sets out our vision and pathway to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and to make Ireland a better place for us now and for generations to come. The climate action plan includes a commitment to efficiency gains, as well as carbon removals through forestry and appropriate management of organic soils. It identifies opportunities for making a contribution to energy production and efficiency. When it comes to absorbing and storing carbon, there is no more effective land use than forestry. In the 2021-27 accounting period, afforestation is expected to contribute 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to the national emissions reduction target.

The Government has set an ambitious target of 8,000 ha of new trees to be planted each year under the climate action plan. This level of planting is needed if we are to maintain a consistent rate of sequestration in the post-2030 period. I will put this ambition into context. As a country, we have untapped afforestation potential. Ireland's 11% level of forest cover is the second lowest in the EU - only Malta has a lower rate of afforestation - and compares unfavourably with the EU average of 43%. While this leaves ample room to grow, there is much work to be done in realising our target. This will need to be a shared endeavour. Action will be required from the Government, private land owners, public bodies and local communities. Given that recent trends have shown a declining interest in planting among private land owners, it is clear that this is going to be challenging. We need farmers, in particular, to plant trees. I believe there is a way forward. An attractive farm forestry model, with options to suit every farm, is available. My Department is aiming to engage actively with farmers and their advisers to promote this model. They need to know they can plant trees which suit their own circumstances and allow them to continue extensive livestock farming, but with an additional source of farm income. Surrounding issues such as competing land uses, land availability and integration with other agricultural schemes are being examined with a view to removing any barriers to planting.

The public debate on productive forestry is concerning because it does not reflect current planting systems, which are more cognisant than ever of landscape, diversity and environmental sensitivities. This is a message we must communicate better. It is more important than ever that this debate is based on evidence and reflects the true science of forestry and land use.

While private landowners are key to increasing planting levels, public bodies must also play their part. Coillte is mentioned in the motion and it has an important role to play. In recent years, it has concentrated on managing 445,000 ha of the national forest estate and has successfully transformed the company from economic vulnerability to one that is on a sound financial footing. Now, more than ever, it is needed to contribute to the State's goals, in particular the implementation of the climate action plan and the national biodiversity strategy. It recently announced the conversion of forest adjacent to urban centres into recreational amenities as part of its Coillte Nature initiative. This is a not-for-profit venture with a strong emphasis on the environmental and recreational aspects of forests. It is now turning its focus to afforestation, which is a welcome development. I will encourage other public bodies with available land banks to follow this lead and be part of the national drive towards the 8,000 ha target. Local communities can also contribute by signing up to our successful NeighbourWood scheme, which creates recreational woodland for people to use and enjoy.

We have a climate emergency, which we must address, but we also have a biodiversity emergency. Biodiversity loss is a serious challenge and is inextricably linked to climate change. What is not widely known is that the forest estate in Ireland is very diverse, with 29% of forest cover comprising broadleaves and native woodlands. The proportion of broadleaves has grown year-on-year and last year saw a 25% increase in broadleaf trees planted compared to the previous year. This is a direct result of the measures taken by my Department, under the aegis of the Minister of State, Deputy Andrew Doyle, under the mid-term review of the current forestry programme. Current forestry policy will continue to support this upward trend through generous grants and premiums and a minimum threshold of 15% broadleaf planting in all new plantations.

Our aim is to increase the uptake of the native woodland conservation scheme fivefold during the lifetime of the current forestry programme. The restoration of these woodlands is a matter of national pride and a vitally important part of the national forestry programme. In the move to a low-carbon circular bioeconomy, forestry has an important role to play in providing products which act as a carbon store. The motion mentions the use of high-quality wood material in new building construction. This is being examined under a collaborative three-year project between NUIG and Edinburgh Napier University, known as the WoodProps programme. This project is funded by my Department and aims to provide evidence and expertise related to the performance of wood-based products and building systems.

Of course, no discussion on issues of national importance can ignore the impact of Brexit. The vast bulk of our timber exports, currently valued at €420 million, are to the United Kingdom and the future growth of the sector is dependent on access to that market. The uncertainty we face means that we must be vigilant in supporting the sector. We have taken all necessary steps to help the sector prepare for the consequences of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, including a recent series of seminars for agritrade businesses throughout the country.

In conclusion, I welcome the debate and thank Deputies Ryan and Martin for tabling the motion as it gives the Government an opportunity to outline its continued commitment to afforestation in accordance with the targets set in the climate action plan and other related strategies. I reiterate that the current forestry programme promotes a balanced approach to sustainability. It offers a range of planting options suitable for adoption by private individuals, community groups and public bodies. The alternative proposed risks limiting the options available to landowners. I, therefore, seek the continued support of colleagues in the House for the ongoing development of forestry to maximise the range of benefits for the economy, society and environment.

Deputy Catherine Connolly

Has the Minister's script been circulated?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

It was circulated. We will get the Deputy a copy.

Deputy Jackie Cahill

I wish to share time.

I tabled a Topical Issue matter on forestry today. One issue those involved in the industry are concerned about is the fact that we are only reaching 50% of the targets set by the Government. The viability of the enterprises of those involved in nurseries, planting and harvesting crops is under pressure. There are various reasons for this, but the bureaucracy involved in getting licences for planting must be eased.

The Minister said we have to get farmers to plant trees, and I fully agree with this aspiration. However, farmers dread bureaucracy and it has to be financially viable and attractive for them to plant trees. Decisions have to be made to make planting economically viable, and farmers will respond to those decisions. Any plantation under 8 ha should be exempt from all of the current bureaucracy involved in obtaining a licence for planting. That would go a long way towards making farmers enthusiastic about planting portions of their farms.

In areas where there is commercial planting, wildlife is an issue, and Coillte has a lot to answer for in this regard. It has not maintained boundary fences on its plantations, which has left a sour taste in farming communities. Wildlife in these areas is causing difficulties. Deer are trespassing onto farmers' lands, and the owners of commercial forestry have to bear responsibility for maintaining boundary fences.

Other issues that need to be addressed are designated and unenclosed land. The restrictions placed on designated land, in particular on hen harrier land, have to be re-examined. There is scientific evidence to show that different stages of afforestation in hen harrier areas is good for biodiversity. Changes in that regard would help us to meet the targets we must attain to meet the challenges of climate change.

Deputy Timmy Dooley

It is shameful that while Ireland's polluting emissions have been rocketing upwards for years, the Government knowingly failed to put an adequate climate strategy in place, including any sort of effective strategy on forestry. Effective afforestation is important not just for climate action, but also for climate resilience. In terms of preventing erosion and land degradation, the severe impacts of climate change on land simply cannot be overstated, as most recently clarified by the IPCC.

We also have to remember that forestry offers major benefits for tourism, biodiversity and water quality. Fianna Fáil has led the way in this regard, with ambitious planting provided for under the 2007-13 national development plan. More recently, we have been clear that the Government should support new income streams for farmers and planting native Irish trees is one such approach that would make considerable sense on many farms from climate, biodiversity and economic perspectives.

The joint committee report noted that there are problems with the planting and clear felling of Sitka spruce plantations and responded to the Citizens' Assembly recommendation that supports for afforestation be reviewed. We, therefore, called for a reformed national forestry policy that will provide strong incentives over the long term for the planting of native broadleaf species.

We also noted that there has been opposition in areas where there have been high planting rates and, therefore, the committee made it clear that community development and engagement must be a key component of afforestation policy. It is essential that the new forestry programme rectifies the failure to meet national targets and incorporates the committee's recommendations. Current afforestation rates are only 4,000 ha per year. The Government is significantly behind its Food Wise 2025 afforestation targets and we have no clarity on how it will reach its latest target of 10,000 ha per year by 2030. The climate advisory committee recently emphasised the serious challenges of reaching this target based on current trends.

I am deeply concerned by recent reports that the staff of the National Biodiversity Data Centre have only three months left on their contracts, with no assurance of extensions. This is a clear example of the Government's deprioritisation of environmental action and I hope it is something to which the Government will respond as quickly as possible. Ultimately, sustainable forestry, backed by State leadership and community engagement, is a no-brainer. We have the tools to transform the forestry sector and put it at the forefront of action on climate change and biodiversity protection. While we are talking about afforestation in Ireland today, we have to be mindful of the direction the House gave in July regarding the events in Brazil and the potential impact of the Mercosur agreement.

We need an analysis of the potential environmental impact of that deal which should be backed by rigorous enforcement of international obligations under the Paris Agreement and an end to deforestation in the Amazon.

Deputy Charlie McConalogue

I support the motion tabled by the Green Party. The performance of the Government on forestry has in no way lived up to the targets set in Food Wise 2025 or the annual targets set out in the forestry programme. Food Wise 2025 indicated a target of 15,000 ha to be planted per year. The annual target has since been reduced to 6,000 ha to 8,000 ha. There is no doubt that we must look at the mix of forestry. There must be additional incentives for native broadleafs and ensuring forestry contributes to habitat development, biodiversity and the protection of species.

I call on the Minister to immediately address the clause in the CAP basic payment scheme which requires scrubland and other areas rich in biodiversity to be brought back into grazing in order to qualify for payments. The Government is pursuing the diametrically opposed objectives of trying to improve biodiversity and forcing farmers who wish to continue to claim payments for certain areas of land to remove vegetation, trees and scrub from it. That is the current position. We should encourage farmers, through the CAP, to protect such areas and reward them for so doing.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

I welcome the opportunity to speak about this issue. There are several issues regarding forestry, afforestation and how they are approached. Afforestation is a significant challenge for many communities. If we accept that trees and the entire green agenda are part of how we contribute to proper biodiversity, we must recognise that planting in some parts of the country but not others, with significant urban sprawl in certain areas, will not lead to balanced development. We need a proper debate on balanced development.

On the motion, as a result of the designation of the hen harrier and other issues, many tracts of land which farmers are willing to plant with forestry are not being afforested. If the Government is serious about afforestation, it must consider these issues and the reports from the National Parks and Wildlife Service which have not been addressed. Such issues should be brought to the fore.

The line is that farmers should be encouraged to plant. Many farmers would consider planting small portions of their land for various reasons. The Department and Coillte must consider providing financial incentives for farmers to plant smaller portions of their land. Our grandfathers planted shelter beds and scrubland which provided biodiversity. They dealt with these issues in a very serious way. We then moved to blanket plantations of conifers such as Sitka spruce. That ticks a box in other areas, but we must go back to the planting of native trees.

The NeighbourWood scheme is very welcome, but it involves a significant amount of bureaucracy. That matter should be addressed such that even communities with small parcels of community land could utilise it. As the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, who is present, is aware, there have been many difficulties with land that was afforested and clear felled but on which no premiums had been drawn. It is very difficult to get such land through the system so that the Department approves it under the NeighbourWood scheme. We need to look at streamlining the scheme. We must be vocal in encouraging people to plant a small number of trees. Our grandparents and great-grandparents were very good at planting native trees on their farmyard or beyond. We must go back to such practices because those trees are very valuable and add to communities and the green agenda.

On bureaucracy, several objections lodged with the Department are causing significant problems. A particular individual has lodged a large number of objections to schemes in counties from Donegal to Cork which is causing serious problems for the forestry industry. We must rethink the entire forestry agenda.

Deputy Mary Butler

If we are serious about climate change, we must be serious about our forests. Forests help to reduce the effects of climate change by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas responsible for climate change and emissions of it from man-made sources have been increasing year on year since the 1950s. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for growth, convert it to sugars and wood and release pure oxygen back into the atmosphere.

In Ireland young forests grow quickly and absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide. Harvesting trees before they die naturally locks the carbon into the wood and wood products. Replanting trees immediately restarts the cycle of carbon storage. Forests cover 11% of the country's land area. The EU average is 38%, which shows the substantial progress that needs to be made.

Wood and wood products are known as climate-smart products. They are low energy, renewable and fully sustainable construction materials. When used for construction or furniture, they store carbon for long periods.

I recently visited the Medite Smartply factory at Waterford Port during National Tree Week. I was delighted to support the "plant for our planet" initiative. By doing something as simple as planting a tree, everyone can play a role in combating climate change. Trees are one of our most important assets in the fight against climate change and National Tree Week is about people coming together and planting in their local communities. I encourage everyone to learn more about the wonderful benefits of these natural resources and consider planting trees on an ongoing basis, not just for tree week.

We need to start with green school committees. Young people are leading the way on climate change. If they are encouraged to plant trees on their school grounds, in their gardens and community, they will learn that trees play a significant role in our climate change strategy by soaking up carbon emissions and providing a renewable and sustainable building resource through their timber.

It is important to recognise that the forestry sector supports 12,000 rural-based jobs, contributes approximately €2.3 billion to the economy each year and has the potential to double in size in the next ten years. It is time for us to get serious. This is one approach that would allow us to reap dividends very quickly.

Deputy Marc MacSharry

I support the motion before the House. I am fully committed personally and as a public representative to achieving the target of 18% cover by 2050. We are currently at a figure of 11%. I agree with Deputy Eamon Ryan's assertion that we need a diversity of broadleaf and native species, rather than the route on which we are currently.

I am from the north west of the country, where many local communities are concerned about over-afforestation, particularly in counties Leitrim and Donegal and parts of County Cavan, as the Minister of State is well aware. I ask him to engage with the Save Leitrim organisation on a continuing basis. Progress can be made on this issue. In the context of stripping out the bureaucracy in dealing with felling licences and other issues referred to by Deputy Cahill, we need to ensure local communities are consulted. They do not want to be left in the dark, which is what is happening to some small communities. I do not want this to be misinterpreted as me being against forestry, but the people of County Leitrim matter and we must be cognisant of the needs of such areas. People have a right to light which needs to be protected.

On sustainable farming methods, farmers are happy to get involved in forestry in areas which are not over-afforested. However, the payment or incentivisation method needs to be addressed. Planting a smallholding or a part thereof in the north west of the country may provide a windfall for the farmer's grandchildren or great-grandchildren in 35 years's time but it will not pay for the education of the farmer's children. We need to rethink our approach to the matter in order to give people viable alternatives. There are 80,000 struggling suckler cow farmers. If the Government wants them to engage in forestry in areas that are not over-afforested, they will have to be incentivised in the form of an annual income.

I would like the Government to consider introducing regulations to address a practice that is not being done, either by Coillte or private operators in forestry, and to ask those people to engage and facilitate a sweeping for ticks on an annual basis and the assessing of those ticks for infection in terms of carrying Borrelia bacteria, which are at the root of much Lyme disease that we hear about in our constituencies.

We all need to get with the programme for forestry. We need to diversify what we are planting in the way Deputy Eamon Ryan set out by stripping out the bureaucracy and including local communities' views in terms of those areas that are over-afforested. We need to rethink financing to incentivise people and to do what we can to sweep for ticks annually to get accurate data on Borrelia bacteria-carrying infected ticks throughout the country.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

I support the motion. I have always been fascinated by forests. They offer a major attraction in that as well as providing timber, they have been an important source of recreation for people. I compliment, in particular, the work done by Coillte during the past 15 years in using the forests in a multifaceted way and ensuring they have been available for many leisure purposes.

It is important we recognise forestry cover and that native broadleaf trees are important but we must not forget the forestry industry and its requirements. The forests, mill companies and so on provide employment in parts of the country that do not have other major sources of employment. In my small area, 200 jobs are directly associated with timber milling. Many towns would like to have that number of jobs. It is a very small community and that employment can be seen the numbers in the schools, the parish, the football teams and so on. The difference it has made can be seen when one compares the demographics with other equivalent areas. It is important we ensure in future that we can keep supplying the mills. We can also help them with something they have done during the past 15 to 20 years, which is to ensure they keep going up the food chain in terms of market quality to ensure they realise the full value for the product they provide.

In the few minutes I have remaining, I will make a few points. I agree with what Deputy McConalogue said and it is vital. We see what I would call incidental natural forestry, particularly hazel and sally, growing on many farms and it is quite common in areas of poor land but the minute it grows it removes a farmer's qualification for the basic payment scheme or the areas of natural constraint payment. There is much talk about carbon sequestration. Natural forestry will sequester carbon just as much as planted forestry established on a scheme with the payment of grants. All we are asking is that provision be made where natural forestry is growing. If one looks across at the valleys in my area, one would see many good trees that have grown during the past 20 to 30 years but farmers are being penalised for allowing that to happen. The Government takes money from them for that, but that issue needs to be tackled.

Another point, which goes to the heart of the Leitrim problem, is that we have become too reliant on large corporate entities for everything. Addressing that would lend itself to farmer participation and keeping the land in farmers' ownership and control. The forestry grants and premia should be front-loaded. In other words, they should be larger and higher for the farmer planter than for the big corporate planter. When the farmer does so he is much more likely to be sensitive to other local needs. He is much less likely to buy up acre after acre causing major disruption in the community. It would also ensure the money is kept local. The Green Party would resonate with me on this as its members would say we should think global and act local. It is important we examine the ownership model and ask ourselves what we really want to happen. Do we want it owned locally and to have dispersed and diffused ownership or do we want to concentrate all the ownership, as happens in many other industries, in a few hands?

Dáil Éireann debate - Tuesday, 1 Oct 2019

Forestry Sector: Motion [Private Members]

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Oct 2019