Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1546. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which tree planting is being encouraged nationally; the incentives available or under consideration; if tree species efficient in carbon or other gas sequestration are being promoted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33809/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is fully committed to supporting the expansion of the national forest estate. The multi-functional benefits of forestry are well known including increased removal of carbon from our atmosphere, creation of more habitats rich in biodiversity and better water quality. This support is provided through generous grants and premiums under the Forestry Programme 2014 -2020 which has made available over €100m each year for the past 6 years for forestry development including afforestation. I was very pleased also to secure an allocation of €103m in the budget for 2021 to continue these supports. This programme is due to end this year and arrangements are being put in place by my Department to ensure the continuation of these supports beyond 2020.

Planting in 2020 will fall short of the target of 8,000 hectares set out under the Climate Action Plan. Achieving this level of planting in the years ahead will be challenging and will require shared action from farmers, private sector, public bodies and the community at large. I will shortly be commencing discussions for the next National Forestry Programme and one of my key aims will be to re-engage farmers in the programme. Planting of trees can help drive improved economic and environmental sustainability on Irish farms and I very much intend that farmers have more ownership of the next programme. The model for Ireland has to be more farm forestry.

It is likely that we will need alternative sources of planting outside of private land if we are to deliver 8,000 hectares, which is why Coillte's proposed collaboration with Bord na Mona to plant their land over the next three years is very welcome. I am hopeful that other public bodies will follow suit and will be looking for support from my colleagues in Government, local authorities and others to help us achieve our national target. Just recently, my Department launched a new afforestation scheme aimed specifically at public bodies called the "Creation of Woodlands on Public Lands' scheme. The purpose of this Scheme is to encourage Public Bodies to establish new native woodlands on suitable bare land. Iarnród Éireann are the first public body to secure approval for the establishment of a native forest under this scheme

Businesses too can play their part. A new Woodland Environmental Fund (WEF) provides an opportunity for businesses to contribute to the establishment of new native woodlands. I am pleased to say that there is significant appetite amongst the business community to take part in this initiative thereby helping to meet the Climate Action Plan target. So far An Post, Accenture, KBI Global Investments, Microsoft, Aldi, Lidl and Applegreen have all committed to the WEF, resulting in the planting of almost 250,000 native trees across the country. Many other businesses have been in contact with my Department with a view to taking part, so we expect a pipeline of investment from the business community to develop in the new year. The amount of native woodlands planted as a percentage of total planting has reached record levels as a result of this scheme with 446 hectares planted so far this year. At the beginning of the forestry programme, native woodlands made up just 2% of total planting and the proportion now is 22%.

Forests are excellent at sequestering carbon dioxide however depending on the species some trees will remove carbon at different rates. Broadleaves and conifers sequester roughly the same carbon dioxide; the maximum value is approximately 150 tonnes of carbon per hectare but this is achieved in 75 years for spruce, compared to 180 years for oak. However, carbon sequestration does vary from year to year depending on management and soil type. The afforestation scheme provides support for 12 different planting types in order that anybody considering panting has maximum flexibility and choice for different species.