AQW 19884/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 03/06/2021
Answered On Date: 06/07/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the Forests for our Future programme.

Answer:

My Department’s ‘Forests for Our Future’ programme commits to planting 18 million trees to create 9,000 hectares of new woodland over the next decade.

Since announcing the Forests for Our Future programme in March 2020, I launched a revised Forest Expansion Scheme and an additional Small Woodland Grant Scheme, particularly designed for landowners who wish to create small areas of new native woodland. Both of these schemes are now open for 2021 applications from private and public landowners.

I am encouraged that since March 2020 many private landowners and public sector organisations have planted 1.75 million trees, of which approximately 1.1 million trees are native species, to create almost 900 hectares of new woodland.