Forestry in Ireland
Introduction
Forestry in Ireland has been severely affected by clearance and exploitation. The total forest area in Ireland is 11.6% of the landscape. Around 49.1% of this is in public ownership, mainly Coillte.
Just under 2% of Irish forestry is native forestry.
Carefully planted and managed forests increase the area’s biodiversity, creating a huge range of habitats for wild fauna and flora.
Managing and using forests in a way that maintains their rich variety of life forms, their economic and social functions and their capacity to re-grow is called sustainable forest management. Trees are planted, allowed to mature, harvested, then re-planted and naturally re-generated in a continuous growth cycle.
Farm forestry provides an alternative income that helps sustain farming communities, promotes rural development and enables people to remain on their land.
Many different grants are available for people who want to plant trees.
Forestry grants and schemes
There are several schemes for forestry. Some provide grants to help people develop new forests and others are for people managing existing forests.
Establishing new forests
The schemes for developing new forestry aim at increasing Ireland’s forest cover and counter climate change.
The 2 main grants for planting new forestry on your land are the following:
These were announced in the Forestry Programme 2023-2027 (pdf).
You should hire a registered forester to submit your application on your behalf. Check Gov.ie for a list of registered foresters and forestry companies.
Managing existing forests
If you already have forestry, there are a number of grants available to help you manage the land, depending on your situation.
These include the:
- Native Woodland Conservation Scheme
- Woodland Improvement Scheme 2023-2027
- Deer Tree Shelter, Hare and Deer Fencing Scheme
- Forestry Knowledge Transfer Group Scheme (this scheme is currently closed but is expected to reopen later this year)
- Forest Road Scheme 2023-2027
- Innovative Forest Technology Scheme - Module 2: Investment Aid for the Development of the Forest Tree Nursery Sector 2023-2027
- Reconstitution Ash Dieback Scheme 2023-2027
- Climate Resilient Reforestation Pilot Scheme
Millennium Forests
As part of the millennium (year 2000) celebrations, over 1,500 acres of native woodland were designated as "People's Millennium Forests". This native woodland is divided into 16 forests around the country and includes newly planted native forestry and restored native woodlands.
Under this initiative, a native tree was planted on behalf of each household in Ireland. A total of 1.2 million native trees were planted. Every home was issued with a certificate giving details about the tree and its location.
It is not possible to locate individual trees, but your household will still be able to find which forest your tree was planted in. You can check which forest your tree is located online.
Coillte manages the People's Millennium Forest project in partnership with the Woodlands of Ireland and the Forest Service.
More information on forestry in Ireland
For more information on Coillte and to find out where to visit the Coillte-run site, visit the Coillte website.
Gov.ie has useful information on forest health, forestry regulation and more.
You can find a list of registered foresters on gov.ie.