Poor understanding and communication, as well as unprofessional management by Ireland's Department of Agriculture, have created difficulties for the forestry sector, an expert has concluded.

The newly developed “Project Woodland” plan includes specific measures to accelerate the issuing of licences for logging and new tree planting. Last year, due to the problems described above, only 2,488 hectares of forest were planted in Ireland, well below the government's target of 8,000 ha.