Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 October 2010
253 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate, by species the number of hectares of trees planted in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38044/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following is the number of hectares planted, by species, in each of the past three years:
|
Year |
Broadleaf |
Conifer |
Total |
|
2007 |
2,182 |
4,765 |
6,947 |
|
2008 |
2,227 |
4,022 |
6,249 |
|
2009 |
2,473 |
4,175 |
6,648 |
254 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has laid down any policy or guidelines with a view to achieving the planting of trees with a high carbon sequestration capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38045/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll tree species grant-aided by my Department under the forestry grant schemes achieve high levels of carbon-sequestration.
The potential of different tree species to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere depends mainly on their rate of growth. Some conifer species grow rapidly and will begin to sequester considerable amounts of carbon early in their life. Other species, including some broadleaves, grow more slowly and do not sequester the same level of carbon until later in their life. Generally, as trees reach maturity, there is little difference in the total amount of carbon dioxide sequestered, when all species are compared.
The relationship between forests and carbon sequestration is a highly complex one and the efficiency of forests to absorb carbon is not dependent upon the tree species alone. Other factors such as soil type, previous land use, local climate, disease, fire, forest management activities, fertilisation and the rate of decomposition of forest organic matter all contribute, to greater or lesser degrees, to the overall forest carbon cycle.
