Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
918. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether Coillte or the National Forest Inventory maintains stand-level data on the percentage composition of tree species within individual forestry plantations; and if he will provide details of the methodology used to classify plantations by dominant species. [39800/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra919. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether any formal definition exists within Coillte, the National Forest Inventory or his Department for "monoculture forestry" or "near-monoculture forestry"; and if he will provide the applicable thresholds or criteria. [39801/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra921. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether biodiversity reporting within the National Forest Inventory distinguishes between forests containing incidental secondary species and forests designed as genuinely mixed-species plantation [39803/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 918, 919 and 921 together.
The National Forest Inventory (NFI) is a multi-resource survey carried out over the entire national forest estate which collects a wide variety of information, including details on tree species composition. In the most recent NFI, completed in 2022, there were 2,020 sample plots, each representing approximately 400 hectares nationally.
The NFI does not maintain stand-level data on the percentage composition of tree species. The assessment of species composition in the NFI takes place on circular sample plots measuring 25.24 metres in diameter. All tree species are included in the assessments, regardless of how dominant they are.
My Department does not have any definition of "monoculture forestry" or "near-monoculture forestry". The NFI has reported on the number of tree species present at each sample plot. In 2022, 23% of the stocked forest area had one tree species present, 25.5% of the area had two species present, 19.7% had three species present and the remaining 31.8% having four or more tree species present.
The fifth NFI commenced field data collection in January 2026 and is expected to be completed in 2028. With repeated NFI cycles, changes to the overall species composition in the forest estate can be monitored over time.
In 2025, the most popular forest type included in the area afforested was the creation of new native forest. This was followed the forest type, mixed coniferous high forests, where a minimum 20% broadleaves must be planted. Both of these forest types will lead to the development of new mixed species forests.
