Semi-State forestry company Coillte, which manages Ireland's State-owned woodlands, has launched a major new strategy to optimise the benefits from forestry.
The company aims to massively expand carbon capture, forestry planting, biodiversity and recreational facilities between now and 2050.
Coillte manages 440,000 hectares of forest in Ireland, amounting to 7% of the country's land area.
With its new strategy, the company aims to further enhance its sustainability, while continuing to develop the forestry and wood product sector and providing for enhanced biodiversity and recreational activities.
The company aims to capture 28 million tonnes of Co2 by 2050, by planting 100,000 hectares of new forest and optimising carbon management of existing trees, rewetting areas of peatland, and generating additional wind energy to power half a million homes.
It will ramp up sustainable production of wood for the building industry, promoting wood product use and timber homes, increase the area of its forestry being managed primarily for nature from 20% to 50%, and double the number of recreation areas for the public to 500.
The company said the new strategy will enable the creation of 1,200 direct and indirect jobs over the next five to ten years.
Ambitious new #forestry strategy from @coilltenews Aims to plant 100,000 extra hectares, sequester 28m tonnes of carbon by 2050, additional 1 gw of wind energy, double recreation sites, produce sustainable timber. Public consultation to begin . #rtenews #farminginIreland
— Joe Mag Raollaigh (@joemagraollaigh) April 21, 2022