Northern Ireland stands at a critical moment in its response to the climate and nature crises. Woodland creation - one of the most effective tools for carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, biodiversity recovery and community wellbeing - remains far behind target, despite its importance being well understood.

What emerges from recent reports, debates and policy papers is a clear conclusion: the gap between ambition and delivery is widening, and governing institutions must pivot from restating targets to enabling real change at pace. The recently published Environmental Improvement Plan review marked increasing woodland cover as ‘green’ for the environment being improved. However, with the target for woodland cover missed every year to date it is difficult to mark this down as a success.

A growing crisis: low woodland cover and stalled progress

Northern Ireland has the lowest woodland cover in the UK and Ireland, with just 8.6% of land wooded - compared with 19% in Scotland, 15% in Wales, 11% in Ireland and 10% in England. Urban canopy is also among the lowest in the UK, averaging only 15.2%, with many towns falling below 10%.

This deficit is not just an ecological issue; it undermines public health, climate adaptation, and economic resilience. The Woodland Trust’s State of the UK’s Woods and Trees 2025 report warns that planting rates are far too slow to meet legally binding carbon reduction obligations under the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.

Key targets, and the reality behind them

1. Forests for Our Future (2020–2030)

In 2020, the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) launched Forests for Our Future, aiming to create 9,000 hectares of new woodland by 2030. But only 1,700 hectares were planted between 2020–2024 - less than 20% of the target—leaving 7,300 hectares still required by 2030.

Additional planting in 2025 brings progress only marginally forward, with nearly 7,000 hectares left to plant in under five years.

2. NI Assembly’s long‑term vision

DAERA restated a long‑term objective of increasing woodland cover to 12% by 2050. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has rightly brought this into sharp focus by launching a co‑designed Northern Ireland Tree Planting Action Plan is due in 2026 to set out mechanisms for speeding up delivery and removing barriers to tree planting.

3. Climate Action Plan (2023–2027) - Assumptions

Draft proposals assume annual afforestation of 600 hectares per year for three years (2024/25–2026/27) to stay in line with Northern Ireland’s Central Scenario for carbon budgets. However, these targets are unrealistic without systemic reform, and some significant voices are warning that failing to adjust expectations risks undermining the credibility of afforestation as a climate solution.

4. UK‑wide targets and context

The UK Government has an overarching target to create 30,000 hectares of new woodland per year from 2024. However, the UK has not met half this figure in any recent year, and Northern Ireland’s contribution remains proportionally small and declining.

What’s holding Northern Ireland back?

Land availability and competition

Despite a clear policy ambition, actual planting rates remain constrained by competitive land use demands, with agricultural land pressures repeatedly cited as a barrier to uptake of grant schemes. Many landowners secure grant approval but ultimately choose not to plant, according to Forest Service data.

Lack of data and monitoring capacity

Northern Ireland still lacks basic infrastructure such as an online reporting platform for tree pests and diseases – which are available in both Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland - hindering responsive woodland management at scale.

Species mix and productivity concerns

The region planted only 41 hectares of productive conifers in 2023/24—far below sustainable forestry needs - raising concerns about future timber supply and economic viability.

Bright spots: partnerships that show what’s possible

While public planting rates lag, strategic partnerships are showing the way forward. The Woodland Trust and NI Water’s Regreening Programme has already reached the midpoint of its ambition to plant one million trees by 2030, demonstrating what coordinated action across major landowners can deliver. Woodland creation across NI Water sites is thriving and delivering multiple ecosystem benefits.

Such partnership models, which blend landscape‑scale ambition, cross‑agency cooperation and strong public messaging, may provide a template for government to replicate.

What Northern Ireland must do now

1. Deliver the tree planting action plan with realistic, evidence‑based targets

Repeatedly reaffirming ambitious numbers without delivery erodes credibility. Targets must be aligned to land availability, workforce capacity, long‑term funding certainty and the agricultural transition.

2. Integrate woodland creation with agriculture policy

Forestry and farming must be treated as complementary rather than competing land uses. The Climate Action Plan suggests closer alignment with DAERA’s Sustainable Agriculture Programme  - an approach widely supported by forestry professionals.

3. Invest in monitoring, skills & data infrastructure

Building digital pest‑reporting systems, expanding forestry training routes and improving baseline data on deer populations and woodland condition are essential for long‑term resilience.

4. Restore public confidence with visible, scalable projects

NI Water’s success demonstrates that landscape‑scale planting is achievable. Scaling such models across public estates, from councils to infrastructure bodies,  would rapidly accelerate progress.

A turning point for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s woodland creation targets are ambitious, necessary and publicly supported - but they will remain aspirational without the structural changes required to deliver them. The science is clear, the benefits are manifold, and models of success already exist.

For Northern Ireland to meet its climate obligations, restore nature and enhance community wellbeing, 2026 must be the year that woodland creation moves from strategy to delivery. A credible action plan, cross‑sector collaboration and targeted investment are now essential - not optional.

John Martin is the Director of the Woodland Trust in Northern Ireland. He studied Geography at undergraduate level and has a Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development from Queens University in Belfast. Has almost 20 years of experience in the environment conservation sector throughout the UK and was appointed by the previous DAERA Minister as an advisor to the Council for Nature Conservation in the Countryside.