Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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107. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he has taken to taken to encourage landowners and Coillte to increase the percentage of native and other non-deciduous trees that are planted annually. [35135/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The new Forestry Strategy for Ireland, which was published in September 2023 is committed to the right trees in the right places for the right reasons and with the right management. The current €1.3 billion funded Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is key to the implementation of this strategy.

The annual broadleaf target for this Forestry Programme has increased from 30% to 50% of total annual planting. This is reflected in a substantial increase of 66% in premium rates for the establishment of a native forest with €1,103 per hectare available to plant native forests and €1,142 per hectare payable for native forests for water over a period of 15 or 20 years. The programme also contains a new Native Tree Area Scheme, which builds on a recent amendment to the Forestry Act 2014 that removed the licensing requirement for the planting of native woodland in areas not greater than one hectare. This aims to increase and encourage interest in small-scale planting and offers premiums of up to €2,284 for 10 years.

Should landowners who planted conifers when they established their forests, wish to replant with native trees after their harvest, they can apply to the new Climate Resilient Reforestation (CRR) Pilot Scheme.

Coillte’s Forestry Strategic Vision to 2050 is closely aligned to our National Forest Strategy and includes an ambition for Coillte to enable the creation of new forests, half of which will be native woodlands. In addition, Coillte aim at increasing the area of the estate managed primarily for nature from 20 to 30% by the end of 2025 and to 50% in the long-term.

Broadleaf planting in 2024 was 55% of the total area planted and to the end of May 2025 stood at 68% of 2025 planting.

Afforestation is a voluntary land use choice for landowners, building confidence among landowners of the benefits of forestry is key to increasing afforestation rates. To encourage uptake, we have engaged in extensive promotion of the new forestry options, including such native planting using all possible means of communication. I am committed to the promotion of all forestry options and have recently made personal contact with holders of unused planting licences. I am confident that the schemes we are offering for native woodland establishment will support all landowners who wish to provide lasting benefits to society, especially in terms of biodiversity, through the planting of native trees.