Public Bodies Urged to Plant Trees on State Lands

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has presented a memo to Cabinet outlining recent efforts by his department to encourage tree planting on publicly owned land as part of the National Forestry Programme.

According to the Department of Agriculture, a land use review by the Forest Service has identified a significant volume of publicly owned land suitable for afforestation. Public bodies manage at least 8% of the national land area, and the department believes they have a key role to play in advancing the State’s environmental and sustainability targets.

Minister of State for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae, has written to all local authorities, state agencies and government departments that own land, urging them to explore the planting options available under the Forestry Programme 2023–2027. The department has also issued an outreach leaflet detailing Forest Type 3 (Forest Creation on Public Lands) and other relevant schemes.

Public bodies are being invited to contact the department for tailored support, including help with site identification and technical guidance to advance proposals under the programme. The Afforestation Scheme 2023–2027 provides grants to cover the cost of forest establishment and annual premium payments for up to 15 years.

Minister Healy-Rae described the initiative as an opportunity for public landowners to turn underutilised land into long-term green assets. The scheme supports a range of policy priorities, including rural job creation, biodiversity, nature restoration, climate resilience, and the creation of accessible green spaces.

Healy-Rae highlighted that the forestry sector supports nearly 9,500 jobs and contributes over €2 billion annually to the economy. He also emphasised the broader social and environmental benefits of forest development, including improved wellbeing and a sustainable supply of raw materials.

The department is encouraging all eligible public bodies to engage with the scheme and begin working toward afforestation on suitable lands.