Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
675. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of broadleaf forestry planting as a percentage of total planting in 2018 and 2019, in tabular form. [7829/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraInterest in planting native woodlands has been increasing, since I introduced a series of new measures following the Forestry Programme (2014-2020) Mid-term Review in 2018. My Department pays generous grants and premiums as part of the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme, particularly for broadleaf categories.
In 2018, payments issued in relation to the new planting of 374 hectares of native woodlands, an increase of 38% compared to 2017, while in 2019, the figure for new planting of native woodlands was 310 hectares. The percentage of broadleaf planting as a percentage of total planting has also increased considerably since the new measures targeting broadleaf afforestation through increased grant and premium rates for relevant planting categories were introduced in 2018. In 2017, 21% of trees planted were broadleaf trees. This percentage increased to 27% in 2018, remained stable at 25% in 2019 and has increased to 36%, during the months up to April in 2020.
The following table shows the total percentage of broadleaf planted in 2018 and 2019.
|
Total planting in ha |
2018 |
2019 |
|
Conifer |
2,932.13 |
2,656.73 |
|
Broadleaves |
1,066.35 |
893.16 |
|
Total (ha) |
3,998.48 |
3,549.89 |
|
% Broadleaves (of total) |
26.67% |
25.16% |
