Forestry has stacks of ambition

Abarometer of landowner interest in forestry was the recent turnout of 1,300 people at nationwide information meetings organised by Teagasc in association with the Forest Service.

Ireland’s new, six-year Forestry Programme, approved by the Government last December, consists of 11 separate measures and spending of €262m — with a further €220m in future commitments, from 2020, mostly in relation to premium payments.

Minister of State, Tom Hayes, said government approval of the programme was a milestone in the development of the sector and a vote of confidence in an industry that contributed €2.3bn to GDP in 2012.