Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 September 2021
698. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the development by his Department of a new strategy to expand afforestation, particularly close to nature forestry and agri-forestry, as outlined in the Programme for Government. [45134/21]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, Project Woodland was launched in February this year, with the objective of reviewing and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the forestry licensing system, as well as the creation of a shared national vision for forestry and the development of a new Forest Strategy for the future of forests in Ireland.
It comprises four working groups, each with an independent chair and with members drawn from forestry and eNGO stakeholders on the Forestry Policy Group, and reports to a Project Board. Working Group 2 is tasked with developing the forest strategy and has made detailed recommendations to the Project Board for an effective and inclusive public consultation, which have been approved by the Board and will be undertaken as a matter of priority. I would like to invite everybody with an interest in forestry in Ireland to actively contribute to this consultation process.
Matters, such as the expansion of forestry and supports for close to nature forestry and agroforestry will be discussed as part of this consultation process and the development of the new Forest Strategy, which will be the enabler of the next National Forestry Programme, which is due to commence in 2023. The current National Programme supports agro forestry and continuous cover forestry, details of which are available on:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/73aea-schemes-and-services-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/.
