Why Irish farmers no longer want to plant forestry

New tree planting fell from 17,000 hectares in 1995 to 1,500 now

Due to ash dieback disease, growers say their thousands of hectares of ash plantations will be good for only firewood. And with others waiting two years for a licence to plant or fell trees, or build a forest road, it's no wonder IFA President Tim Cullinan says he would find it very hard to plant a forest today.

“As a farmer, I would find it very hard to decide to plant a forest today, when I see the history of the past, and where we are at the moment,” said IFA president Tim Cullinan during a recent Oireachtas committee on agriculture, food and the marine discussion on challenges for the forestry sector.

He said farmers started to plant in the mid-1980s, and after improved grants and premiums were introduced in the early 1990s, they became the afforestation programme’ driving force.