{"id":1336403,"date":"2024-06-25T13:40:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T12:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1336403"},"modified":"2024-06-25T12:36:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T11:36:59","slug":"farmers-accounted-for-47-of-afforestation-in-2023-cso","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/farmers-accounted-for-47-of-afforestation-in-2023-cso\/","title":{"rendered":"Farmers accounted for 47% of afforestation in 2023 – CSO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The area of new forestry planted by farmers accounted for 47% of total afforestation in 2023, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The figures published today (Tuesday, June 25) shows that 1,651ha was afforested last year, a 27% decrease from the 2,273ha planted in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CSO data is based on analysis of the area afforested under Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) schemes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Afforestation is the planting of trees on land not previously under forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last year, farmers planted 773ha of trees, non-farmers planted 877ha, while the public sector was responsible for 2ha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There were 287 afforestation parcels in 2023, which an average size of 5.8ha. In 2022, there were 309 parcels with an average size of 7.4ha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The data shows that broadleaf species comprised 54% (899ha) of the 2023 afforestation area, up from 42% in the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This marks the first year that broadleaf species have comprised the majority of species planted since the CSO series began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sitka spruce accounted for 39% of the 2023 afforestation area with 636ha of the species planted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The CSO data shows that afforestation rates have been on a downward trajectory since 2016, apart from a slight increase in 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The highest annual afforestation area was recorded in 2010 when 8,314ha was planted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Niamh Shanahan, statistician in the CSO environment division, said the report shows the area afforested in 2023 was just 24% of the area planted in 2007 (6,947ha). <\/p>\n\n\n\n “The share of afforested area planted by farmers in 2023 was 47% which was a large increase on their 2022 share of 23%, but a sharp decline from their 2014 share of 97%.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n “Alder and ash were the main broadleaf species planted during 2007 to 2013 while alder and birch were the main species from 2015 to 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Sitka Spruce was the dominant conifer species and comprised 84% of coniferous species in 2023,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The highest average parcel size of afforested area over the 2007-2023 period was 8.4 ha in 2009. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n “In 2023 it was 5.8 ha which was the lowest average parcel size across the 2007-2023 period,” Shanahan added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>
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