Farmers are key to restoring native woodlands – here’s what’s holding them back

Ireland’s native woodland scheme, which was introduced by the government in 2001, is successfully bringing back biodiversity. But the country still struggles to meet its tree-planting targets. The reason? Policy doesn’t always match the economic realities farmers face.

Ireland should be a forestry success story. The climate is mild, the soil is fertile and trees grow faster here than almost anywhere else in Europe. Yet despite ambitious government targets and generous public subsidies, the country remains…

© La Conversation - jeudi 11 juin 2026