Irish National Forest Inventory shows private forests growth

Mr Hayes said the extra 20,000ha of private forest thinned since 2006 showed the country was finally beginning to realise the potential of its state-supported afforestation schemes.

“The resulting enhanced thinning volumes represent an increasing source of raw material for the processing sector, a valuable source of revenue for private owners and a source of additional employment in harvesting, transport and downstream processing,” he said.

The inventory involved a detailed nationwide field survey of Ireland’s forests.

The mean annual standing volume harvested in 2006-2012 was 3.6 million m3, with nearly half (47%) of the gross annual increment (forest growth) harvested, a demonstration of sustainable forestry in Ireland’s forests.

Some 87% of that harvesting was in public forests, while private grant-aided forests accounted for 5.8% and private (other forests) 7.1%. Sitka spruce accounted for the lion’s share of the volume – 79.6%.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s total forest area is now 10.5% of total land area – up 0.5% since 2006, with an increasing share of private forest ownership – 47% (+4% since 2006).

Total standing growing stock is 97 million m3, an increase of 25 million m3 on the 2006 standing volume, with public forests containing nearly twice as much as private forests.

Growing stock in private grant-aided forests has tripled over this period. Sitka spruce accounts for 334,560ha – 52.5% of all species.

The share of mature forests in the 51 years+ category is approaching 20,000ha, around half of which is conifer. Private (non grant-aided) forests have a greater proportion of mature timber.