Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has announced that a midterm review of the Forestry Programme is scheduled to take place in 2025. This decision comes in response to a query posed by Dublin Bay North independent TD Barry Heneghan regarding the status of the curlew conservation programme. Minister Heydon emphasized the importance of increasing afforestation levels while maintaining a balance that is legally compliant, environmentally sustainable, and silviculturally appropriate.
The Forestry Programme, initiated in 2017, includes the participation of locally based advisory teams, community engagement initiatives, and nest protection officers collaborating with landowners and other stakeholders to safeguard curlew nesting sites and enhance habitat quality. Minister Heydon highlighted that within a 1.5km radius buffer surrounding individual breeding sites identified by the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), afforestation is prohibited, covering a total of 138,444 hectares nationwide. This restriction applies to all forest types eligible for support under the Afforestation Scheme, with the overarching goal of increasing Ireland’s forest cover from 11% to 18% by 2027 to combat climate change.
The Minister underscored that there is no distinction between native woodland-related forest types and more commercially-oriented FT11 (mixed high forests) comprising conifers with a 20% broadleaf content. He noted that these buffers often encompass land unsuitable for afforestation due to factors beyond curlew conservation, such as unsuitable soil types and fertility levels.
In terms of striking a balance between afforestation and conservation efforts, Minister Heydon highlighted that Ireland’s Forestry Programme 2023-2027 is contingent upon state aid approval secured from the European Commission. This approval entails a commitment to avoiding afforestation on environmentally unsuitable sites and tailoring afforestation practices to environmental sensitivities, including habitats and species. The Minister stressed that in aligning the license application and assessment process for afforestation with environmental legislation and state aid conditions, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has endeavored to meet the requirements of threatened bird species like the curlew.
Minister Heydon further pointed out that Ireland’s curlew breeding population has witnessed a significant decline in recent decades, with a staggering 98% decrease since the early 1990s, as reported by the NPWS. The Minister’s commitment to striking a balance between afforestation and conservation efforts underscores the intricate challenges faced in managing Ireland’s forestry resources while safeguarding its unique biodiversity.
