Minister keen to set a ‘higher target’ for afforestation in NI

He said: “I hope to do something very significant on forestation, as I believe we need to, as far as is possible, be sequestrating the carbon being produced.

“If there is a means of doing that, we should be doing it. We believe that over the lifetime of each tree we plant, it will absorb around half a ton of carbon.

“If we can plant significant numbers of trees, that will be beneficial to our environment and will make this a better place to live.”

The matter of afforestation was further raised by Maurice Bradley (DUP, East Londonderry) who admitted that it was one of his “pet projects”.

Mr Bradley asked: “Your briefing paper states that the aim is: ‘To increase afforestation from 8% to 12%’ through a 30-year programme. Is that a high enough target?”

Mr Poots replied: “No. It is not. I am going to create a higher target. That was a Civil Service target. I have a higher target in mind. Therefore, the answer is no. It is not enough.”

Mr M Bradley queried if there was any opportunity to work with other departments to increase tree planting to which Mr Poots replied: “Absolutely.”

Mr M Bradley commented: “I will give you an example. I drove up here this morning, as did others, on a motorway that is bereft of trees.

“In Germany, all the motorways are lined with broadleaved trees.

“Factories, schools and industrial areas are all screened with broadleaved trees. That does not happen here.”

Mr Poots replied: “We are writing to all the departments asking them to contact their arm’s-length bodies about the provision of land. DAERA and its landholdings form a very large estate, but to go out and buy land on which to plant trees is excessively costly. The cost has been holding us back.”