Planting Statistics: Northern Ireland still "not planting enough"

With only around 40 hectares of productive woodland established this year, the figures also underline the growing challenge of maintaining Northern Ireland's future timber supply. At a time when demand for homegrown timber continues to increase, the current rate of productive planting is insufficient to replace the resource being harvested, placing the long-term sustainability and growth of the sector at risk.

The Tree Planting Action Plan provides an important opportunity for DAERA, industry and wider stakeholders to work together to reverse this trend and deliver the step change in woodland creation that Northern Ireland needs.

Confor Northern Ireland Chair, Nigel Manley, said:"Northern Ireland has the lowest woodland cover in the UK, we're not planting enough productive woodland to maintain our future timber supply.

"Every year we fail to reverse that trend, we reduce the future timber resource that provides jobs, encourages investment and ensures the supply of sustainable, home-grown wood products.

"The Tree Planting Action Plan is an opportunity to change direction.  If we work together to deliver its recommendations, we can increase woodland creation, strengthen timber security and provide lasting environmental and economic benefits for Northern Ireland."