The Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme is the main afforestation scheme, it is operated by my Department and is available to private land owners. The Scheme provides for a number of different grant and premium categories and within those categories, for the planting of a number of different species. It sits within the Forestry Programme 2014 to 2020, which takes into account the aims and objectives of the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy; certain commitments are provided for, including a target of 30% broadleaf planting on an annual and national basis. As part of the mid-term review of the Programme I increased the broadleaf component in proposed sites to 15%, as well as increasing the rates payable to encourage broadleaf planting. These changes are already showing results, with broadleaf planting now at an average of 25%.
My Department compiles various statistics annually, which are made available on my Department’s website. Table 1 below shows the area planted under forestry by both the public and private sectors in the years 2015 to 2017.
Table 1:
Year
|
Private (ha)
|
Public (ha)
|
Total
|
2015
|
6,284
|
8.53*
|
6,293
|
2016
|
6,500
|
-
|
6,500
|
2017
|
5,536
|
-
|
5,536
|
* Planted in Co. Roscommon
Table 2 below shows the breakdown of private planting by county.
County
|
2015 (ha)
|
2016 (ha)
|
2017 (ha)
|
Carlow
|
82.35
|
45.72
|
62.37
|
Cavan
|
276.77
|
425.07
|
316.67
|
Clare
|
567.90
|
552.00
|
518.38
|
Cork
|
662.95
|
608.08
|
419.69
|
Donegal
|
72.09
|
36.15
|
54.13
|
Dublin
|
8.42
|
2.75
|
10.80
|
Galway
|
431.73
|
331.14
|
400.32
|
Kerry
|
430.38
|
404.98
|
377.66
|
Kildare
|
28.62
|
13.49
|
33.02
|
Kilkenny
|
264.41
|
181.34
|
89.55
|
Laois
|
198.24
|
163.35
|
98.57
|
Leitrim
|
512.90
|
433.78
|
536.22
|
Limerick
|
176.81
|
328.80
|
99.48
|
Longford
|
286.15
|
272.01
|
200.70
|
Louth
|
22.39
|
39.84
|
21.85
|
Mayo
|
454.99
|
428.55
|
531.78
|
Meath
|
73.34
|
104.73
|
122.04
|
Monaghan
|
37.92
|
88.83
|
61.38
|
Offaly
|
156.26
|
135.76
|
165.63
|
Roscommon
|
334.35
|
435.04
|
431.11
|
Sligo
|
268.13
|
301.73
|
189.96
|
Tipperary
|
340.77
|
305.14
|
161.65
|
Waterford
|
125.29
|
240.13
|
163.40
|
Westmeath
|
204.14
|
281.48
|
206.88
|
Wexford
|
128.17
|
89.29
|
114.36
|
Wicklow
|
138.81
|
250.62
|
148.15
|
Total
|
6,284.28
|
6,499.80
|
5,535.75
|
County
|
Sitka spruce
|
Pines
|
Norway spruce
|
Other Conifer
|
Total Conifer
|
Carlow
|
56.22
|
1.46
|
1.3
|
4.31
|
63.29
|
Cavan
|
205.26
|
2.5
|
2.37
|
9.47
|
219.6
|
Clare
|
448.43
|
0.63
|
0
|
12.41
|
461.47
|
Cork
|
486.14
|
14.83
|
9.46
|
4.93
|
515.36
|
Donegal
|
52.81
|
0.15
|
0
|
8.97
|
61.93
|
Dublin
|
6.91
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6.91
|
Galway
|
255.18
|
4.42
|
45.3
|
11.86
|
316.76
|
Kerry
|
299.84
|
17.04
|
0
|
9.68
|
326.56
|
Kildare
|
3.01
|
0
|
20.84
|
0
|
23.85
|
Kilkenny
|
105.77
|
0.46
|
78.16
|
7.37
|
191.76
|
Laois
|
148.42
|
4.29
|
21.07
|
2.29
|
176.07
|
Leitrim
|
421.84
|
2.78
|
3.51
|
14
|
442.13
|
Limerick
|
141.54
|
0.96
|
0
|
9.96
|
152.46
|
Longford
|
146.27
|
1.83
|
44.94
|
4.8
|
197.84
|
Louth
|
2.98
|
1.3
|
0
|
0.37
|
4.65
|
Mayo
|
335.95
|
7.53
|
13.47
|
35.64
|
392.59
|
Meath
|
33.32
|
0.18
|
12.96
|
1.68
|
48.14
|
Monaghan
|
29.26
|
0.02
|
0
|
0.18
|
29.46
|
Offaly
|
13.9
|
1.39
|
111.89
|
0.1
|
127.28
|
Roscommon
|
253.26
|
1.08
|
22.99
|
5.63
|
282.96
|
Sligo
|
218.51
|
8.32
|
0
|
13.11
|
239.94
|
Tipperary
|
248.44
|
0.15
|
9.84
|
9.76
|
268.19
|
Waterford
|
83.8
|
9.78
|
0
|
5.6
|
99.18
|
Westmeath
|
40.34
|
7.78
|
106.65
|
5.24
|
160.01
|
Wexford
|
85.42
|
1.61
|
10.78
|
1.79
|
99.6
|
Wicklow
|
107.93
|
4.95
|
5.06
|
3.84
|
121.78
|
Totals
|
4,230.75
|
95.44
|
520.59
|
182.99
|
5,029.77
|
table cont.
County
|
Ash
|
Syc
|
Oaks
|
Beeches
|
Other B/L
|
Total B/L
|
Grand Total
|
Carlow
|
0
|
0.45
|
8.6
|
1.04
|
8.97
|
19.06
|
82.35
|
Cavan
|
0.27
|
0.95
|
22.21
|
0
|
33.74
|
57.17
|
276.77
|
Clare
|
0.91
|
0.52
|
10.28
|
0
|
94.72
|
106.43
|
567.9
|
Cork
|
0.16
|
0.4
|
72.94
|
0.32
|
73.77
|
147.59
|
662.95
|
Donegal
|
0
|
0.1
|
2.76
|
0.19
|
7.11
|
10.16
|
72.09
|
Dublin
|
0
|
0
|
0.47
|
0
|
1.04
|
1.51
|
8.42
|
Galway
|
0
|
16.58
|
18.08
|
4.92
|
75.39
|
114.97
|
431.73
|
Kerry
|
0.38
|
0
|
33.82
|
0
|
69.62
|
103.82
|
430.38
|
Kildare
|
0
|
0
|
2.31
|
0
|
2.46
|
4.77
|
28.62
|
Kilkenny
|
0
|
0
|
20.88
|
0
|
51.77
|
72.65
|
264.41
|
Laois
|
0
|
0
|
4.23
|
1.71
|
16.23
|
22.17
|
198.24
|
Leitrim
|
0
|
0
|
6.63
|
0
|
64.14
|
70.77
|
512.9
|
Limerick
|
0
|
0
|
12.68
|
0
|
11.67
|
24.35
|
176.81
|
Longford
|
2.28
|
5.6
|
38.07
|
0
|
42.36
|
88.31
|
286.15
|
Louth
|
0
|
0
|
6.72
|
0
|
11.02
|
17.74
|
22.39
|
Mayo
|
0
|
0.66
|
9.79
|
0
|
51.95
|
62.4
|
454.99
|
Meath
|
0
|
0
|
9.51
|
1.31
|
14.38
|
25.2
|
73.34
|
Monaghan
|
0
|
0
|
0.49
|
0
|
7.97
|
8.46
|
37.92
|
Offaly
|
0
|
1.66
|
10
|
0
|
17.32
|
28.98
|
156.26
|
Roscommon
|
0.41
|
1.57
|
21.8
|
0.25
|
35.89
|
59.92
|
342.88
|
Sligo
|
0
|
0
|
2.44
|
0
|
25.75
|
28.19
|
268.13
|
Tipperary
|
0
|
1.55
|
32
|
0.59
|
38.44
|
72.58
|
340.77
|
Waterford
|
0
|
0.48
|
9.37
|
0
|
16.26
|
26.11
|
125.29
|
Westmeath
|
0
|
1.8
|
11.11
|
0.59
|
30.63
|
44.13
|
204.14
|
Wexford
|
0
|
0
|
6.19
|
0.03
|
22.35
|
28.57
|
128.17
|
Wicklow
|
0
|
0
|
4.25
|
0
|
12.78
|
17.03
|
138.81
|
Totals
|
4.41
|
32.32
|
377.63
|
10.95
|
837.73
|
1,263.04
|
6,292.81
|