The area of national forest estate in Ireland has increased to approximately 700,000 hectares as a result of a significant increase in private forest development in the mid-1980s, with the introduction of grant schemes funded by the EU aimed at encouraging private land owners, mainly farmers, to become involved in forestry. Of this, approximately 45% is in private ownership and 55% is in the ownership of Coillte. During the first 75 years of the 20th century, forestry in Ireland was almost exclusively carried out by the state. By 1985, forest and woodland cover was approximately 420,000 hectares. Upon the first arrival of humans in Ireland around 12,500 years ago, the entire island was predominantly covered in a blanket of thick woodland. These woodlands consisted largely of oak and pine forests. However, centuries of heavy deforestation meant that by the end of the 19th century, the area of woodland and forest cover in Ireland was estimated to be approximately 69,000 hectares, or 1% of the national land area. The vast majority of forestry plantings in Ireland are non-native species, chiefly Sitka spruce, with the consequent damage to biodiversity and the environment.
By province and county
Ulster County Antrim Carnfunnock Country Park Glenariff Forest Park Lagan Valley Slieveanorra Forest County Armagh Gosford Forest Park Maghery Country Park County Cavan Dún na Rí Forest Park Killykeen Forest Park County Donegal Ards Forest Park County Down Castlewellan Forest Park Lagan Valley Rostrevor Forest Tollymore Forest Park County Fermanagh Crom Estate Florence Court Forest Park County Londonderry Roe Valley Country Park County Monaghan Dartrey Forest Dún na Rí Forest Park County Tyrone Drum Manor Forest Park
Munster County Cork Glenbower Wood, Killeagh.
The Gearagh Glengarriff Forest County Kerry Killarney National Forest
Leinster County Carlow Oak Park Forest Park County Dublin Barnaslingan Wood Carrickgollogan Forest Trail Tibradden Wood County Meath Mullaghmeen Forest County Wicklow Avondale Forest Crone Woods Djouce Woods
Connacht County Galway Barna Woods Coole Park and Garryland Nature Reserve County Leitrim Glenfarne Demesne County Sligo Gortarowey Forest Recreation Area Hazelwood
References
See also Forest inventory Geography of Ireland Native trees of Ireland
External links Coillte, The Irish Forestry Board National Forest Inventory Forest Service Northern Ireland Native Woodland Trust