Date: 17 Mar 2022
Shared National Vision for the role of trees and forests in Ireland’s future
Trees are a vital part of Ireland’s natural heritage. Ireland needs more of them, with the right trees planted in the right place for the right reason. For a variety of historical reasons, Ireland has one of the lowest levels of forest cover in the European Union. Paradoxically, this means that Ireland has a special opportunity to improve its natural heritage, by investing in afforestation in a way that is sensitive to its landscape and environment, and that allows citizens to benefit from the unique range of public and private goods offered by it.
The Department of Agrictulture, Food and the Marine would like to hear your informed opinions and views on what you see as the role of trees and forests of all shapes and sizes in Ireland’s future. Your input is a crucially important contribution to realising a shared national vision for trees and forests in Ireland’s future and a new Forest Strategy to implement this Vision.
The management and creation of new forests, well planned and executed, can make a significant contribution to Ireland’s climate change mitigation efforts, can enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, provide shade and shelter for farmed animals and amenity opportunities for citizens. Harvested wood products are also essential for climate mitigation. Together they also support economic development and employment creation in rural areas and provide alternatives for fossil fuel-based materials in construction and energy generation. To maximise this opportunity, Ireland needs a coherent and broadly accepted Vision and Strategy for the development of its forest sector
Supporting documents are available on the department's website that sets out the proposed Vision and a summary of the guiding principles around the right trees in the right places for the right reasons, with the right management that we think can help shape the future of trees and forests in Ireland.
An online consultation questionnairecan be accessed at the following link: https://foreststrategy.consultation.ie/en/surveys
The questionnaire will be open for completion until Wednesday 27th April