Minister Healy-Rae welcomes new study on demand estimates for forest tree seed and plants for the period to 2035
- Published on: 18 December 2025
- Last updated on: 18 December 2025
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Minister Michael Healy-Rae TD, today announced the publication of the All-Ireland Forest Reproductive Material Demand Forecast for the period 2025-2035. This report provides an analysis of potential demand for seed and plants on the island of Ireland for a range of tree species and purposes out to 2035.
Welcoming the report, Minister Healy-Rae said:
“This new study provides a comprehensive analysis of the future demand for seed and plants for the forest sector. This information is vitally important to plan for securing supply of young trees to meet the needs of the forestry sector. I would like to thank the report’s authors and members of the COFORD Council Forest Genetic Resources Working Group for their hard work in producing this forecast.”
The report includes a comprehensive analysis of available data, industry views, and policy scenarios. Five key drivers of plant demand were identified, including: forest regeneration, grant aided afforestation, farm-based tree planting as part of agri-environment schemes, tree planting outside of grant schemes, and tree planting to align with national habitat conservation and restoration commitments. Under the baseline scenario total plant demand is projected to increase from 34.31 million in 2025 to 52.72 million in 2035, totalling 492.67 million plants over the forecast period. This represents a significant increase in the overall estimated demand for plants over the period.
Notes for the Editor
This report was authored by Henry Phillips and Myles Mac Donncadha under the auspices of the COFORD Council Forest Genetic Resource Working Group. The Forest Genetic Resource Working Group is made up of a range experts and stakeholders working in the area of forest genetic resources development and conservation.
The report may be downloaded from the COFORD website.