State forestry company Coillte has committed to planting only native tree species from next year on.
The organisation said the move, taken in consultation with biodiversity experts and academics, was aimed at reducing climate emissions and improving biodiversity.
Coillte is responsible for the management of 440,000 hectares of Ireland’s forests, covering about 7 per cent of the island.
It aims to capture about 28 million tonnes of CO2 from the environment by 2050 largely through the creation of 100,000 hectares of new forests.
Planting native tree species such as oak, ash, hazel and birch will not only help to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere through sequestration – the natural process of capturing and locking away carbon in trees – but will also support native wildlife by planting specifies that they evolved alongside, Coillte said.
Speaking about Coillte’s efforts to support a greener future, Coillte director Sakinah Brennan said: “Ireland has the lowest forest cover in the EU, and less than 1 per cent of our land mass is covered in native forest. It is time that we change this for the betterment of future generations.”
“To date, Coillte has mainly planted fast-growing non-native trees that are perfect for forestry and the creation of timber products, but not so good for the flora and fauna of Ireland. From next year, that all changes,” she said.
“Now is the time for us to hold up our hands and admit that we’ve been part of the problem for too long. This marks the start of a new chapter for Coillte, where we focus on restoring native biodiversity and move away from extraction, which is in line with our strategic vision,” she said.
Rising costs saw Coillte’s profits fall by 19 per cent at €119 million in 2022 but the State forestry company’s revenue hit a record €479 million. Coillte blamed increased operating costs for the slip in profit.
