Irish Guidelines & Regulations

Mackinnon Report

Review of Approval Processes for Afforestation in Ireland (November 2019)

Coillte

Forest Service, DAFM

Forest Service – https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/campaigns/forestry-in-ireland/

Forest Service – Forest Management Tools

Felling and Reforestation Policy (DAFM, May 2017) – Available for Download in the Tree Felling Licences Section.

Interim Standard for Felling & Reforestation (DAFM, 2019) – Available for Download in the Tree Felling Licences Section.

Environmental Requirements for Afforestation (DAFM, December 2016).

DAFM Suite of Environmental Guidelines (DAFM, 2000) – Now available on the GOV.IE website in the Trees and the Law section.

Publications, now available for downloading from the GOV.IE website include:

Forest Biodiversity Guidelines
Forest Protection Guidelines
Forestry and Kerry Slug Guidelines
Forestry and Otter Guidelines
Forests and Water
Forestry and the Landscape Guidelines
Forest Recreation in Ireland – A Guide for Forest Owners and Managers
Native Woodland Establishment GPC9 and GPC10
Woodland for Water
Aerial Fertilisation Requirements (June 2015)
Forestry and Water Quality Guidelines
Forestry and Archaeology Guidelines
Forest Harvesting and Environmental Guidelines
Forestry and Freshwater Pearl Mussel Requirements, (DAFM, 2008)
Land Types for Afforestation
Environmental Requirements for Afforestation
DRAFT Plan for Forests & Freshwater Pearl Mussel in Ireland

Links to DAFM Environmental Guidelines, including the above, on the New GOV.IE website.

COFORD Forest Policy Review Group Report on ‘Forests, products and people – Ireland’s forest policy – a renewed vision (2014) – A Report on Policy Implementation with Recommendations (COFORD, 2018)

Forests and wood products, and their importance in climate change mitigation (COFORD, 2022).

Current Forestry Grant Schemes, including schemes for New Planting (Afforestation) and schemes for existing planting – Forestry Grant Schemes

Information on Change of Ownership for Grant aided plantations – www.gov.ie/

National Forest Inventory

The purpose of the National Forest Inventory (NFI) is to record and assess the extent and nature of Ireland’s forests, both public and private, in a timely, accurate and reproducible manner. Reliable, current and consistent information is required to inform domestic forest policy, to support forest research and fulfil national and international reporting commitments.

For more information, see National Forest Inventory, DAFM.

Pesticides Regulation and Control Division, DAFM

Pesticides Regulation and Control Division – www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie
Guidance Notes on Integrated Pest Management For Use On Irish Farms (PDF)
National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides

Plant Health

Teagasc

Teagasc Forestry Development Unit – www.teagasc.ie/forestry/

Forest Sector Statistics

Annual Forest Sector Statistics
An annual report has been published on the web that brings together previously published and new statistics on the forest sector in a single publication. The plan is to update the document annually to reflect changes in the forest sector, such as new afforestation.
Ireland’s Forests – Annual Statistics– Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and also see Forest Statistics and Mapping

See also our Miscellaneous Industry Statistics page.

Legislation

Forestry Act 2014 – www.irishstatutebook.ie
Forestry & the Law (DAFM) – Forest Service, DAFM
Forestry Act 2014 – Teagasc
Legal requirements for tree felling – Teagasc
Legal requirements for afforestation – Teagasc
Legal requirements for Deforestation – Teagasc
Appropriate assessment procedures – Teagasc

Health and Safety Authority (HSA)

Health and Safety Authority – www.hsa.ie

Health and Safety Authority – Irish Forestry Safety Guides (IFSG) A suite of Safety Guides modified for Irish use by kind permission of FISA, including: