Image caption, Minister Muir said the first-ever tree-planting plan was "ambitious"
ByLouise CullenAgriculture and environment correspondent, BBC News NI- Published24 minutes ago
The current rate of tree planting in Northern Ireland will have to more than triple by 2032, to get on track for 12% woodland cover by 2050.
The first tree planting action plan for Northern Ireland sets out 10 strategic actions over the next five years.
The Environment Minister Andrew Muir said there was "lots to do", including raising awareness of the benefits of tree cover.
With just 8.6% woodland cover, Northern Ireland is one of the least wooded areas in Europe.
In UK terms, it lags behind Scotland (19%), Wales (15%), England (10%) and also the Republic of Ireland, which has 11% cover.
The new plan has been designed by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs along with the Woodland Trust, representatives of Confederation of Forest Industries (CONFOR), forestry companies, eNGOs, Ulster Farmers' Union, NI Water, and local councils.
Image caption, John Martin from the Woodland Trust said the plan 'takes us in the right direction'
John Martin, the Woodland Trust's chief executive in Northern Ireland, said it was badly needed.
"This starts to take us in the right direction in terms of commitment towards planting trees in the wider countryside.
"There have been big challenges in terms of the appetite from landowners and others in terms of planting trees, but hopefully through the review of some of the things that are happening within the action plan, we'll start to see that appetite improve as well."
Image caption, Under the first Carbon Budget for Northern Ireland (2023-2027), there is a commitment to plant 2,585 hectares of new woodland
Muir said the first tree-planting plan was "ambitious".
"Woodland cover delivers so many benefits, whether it's in relation to carbon storage, but also in terms of nature recovery, in terms of better resilience, in terms of flooding - there's multiple benefits associated with that, alongside the outdoor recreation opportunities that are created in so many venues across Northern Ireland," he added.
Long road ahead
Under the first Carbon Budget for Northern Ireland (2023-2027), there is a commitment to plant 2,585 hectares of new woodland.
The plan says an additional 1,205 hectares are required to meet the target.
And another 50,000 hectares of new woodland will have to be created to meet the 2050 Climate Change Act target of 12% woodland cover.
The plan's 10 strategic actions include 31 implementations, spread across four areas:
Governance and implementation
Communication and knowledge transfer
Education and capacity building
Research and evidence.
Image caption, Nigel Manley says that "millions" of cubic metres of wood are being imported into the UK
As chair of the Confederation of Forest Industries, Nigel Manley sees timber from a commercial perspective.
He said that "millions" of cubic metres of wood are being imported into the UK and that demand is expected to grow in the future.
"There's a huge need for housing in Northern Ireland, UK wide, even in the Republic of Ireland.
"Where's timber going to come from?
"If we get behind this Tree Planning Action Plan, which we will, put our shoulders to the wheel, so to speak, and give it the support and implement the actions and get them carried out, we can enjoy the sustainability that it brings - jobs, the investment, and importantly, it's the sustainability of timber production and the products from those timber."
Image caption, The Ulster Farmers' Union said they aren't fixed on the 12% target
The Ulster Farmers' Union said "farmer choice" must be at the heart of the plan.
The president, John McLenaghan, welcomed the plan, including a measure designed to simplify the process of accessing grants and information to facilitate planting.
"We're not fixed on the 12% target at all.
"What matters to us is that farmers have the opportunity to engage in woodland if it makes sense for their own business, not because they're being targeted and not because other payments are tied to it," he said.
Image caption, John McLenaghan says the plan must make sense for farmers
"Tree planting won't suit every farm, and it should never be presented as though it does.
"At every stage of this process we have pushed for balanced messaging, so that the information coming out of this plan gives farmers a true, fair and accurate picture of both the opportunities and the challenges, rather than a sales pitch."
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