EU approves 2021 forestry programme but licence logjam still hinders progress
In 2020, 2,433 new hectares of forest were planted, compared to an annual target of 8,000 hectares in the National Forestry Programme.
The number of forestry licence applications being processed in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine reduced from 4,832 on October 1, 2020, to 4,453 last week.
 IFA President Tim Cullinan said the Department’s plan to address a felling licence backlog is not working, with only 30% of targeted monthly felling licence issues achieved in December.
