Forestry Land for Sale in Ireland

Three ways to be in Irish forestry

Irish forestry land transactions split three ways:

1. Bare land for afforestation — land you plant from scratch under the current Forestry Programme 2023–2027. Eligible land can attract up to 20 years of premium payments plus an establishment grant.
2. Young plantation — already-planted forest, typically 5–20 years old, where remaining premium payments may transfer with the land.
3. Mature plantation — near or at first-thinning / clearfell age. Priced almost entirely on the standing timber value.

The Forestry Programme 2023–2027 at a glance

The Department of Agriculture's current scheme offers substantially higher premium rates than the previous programme — designed to push Ireland toward its 18% forest cover target. Premium durations were extended and native woodland options improved. The scheme has twelve forest types with different grant and premium combinations.

Premiums are taxable but generally attractive: depending on the forest type you plant, annual per-hectare premiums can run for 15–20 years. The full forestry grants guide breaks down the numbers.

What to watch before you buy

• Area-based designations — Natura 2000 sites (SACs and SPAs), commonages, and certain peatlands can be ineligible or require extensive ecological assessment
• Hen harrier designations — parts of the west and south are in Hen Harrier Special Protection Areas where afforestation is restricted
• Acid-sensitive rivers — catchment rules can rule out afforestation in parts of counties like Waterford, Wicklow and Galway
• Archaeological constraints — recorded monuments and set-back requirements
• Existing planting — replant obligation — once land is planted, it generally must stay in forestry

Does forestry still stack up?

The honest answer is: it depends on the land, the forest type, and your time horizon. Bare rough grazing at €2,000–€4,000/acre that qualifies for premiums and produces a commercial thinning cycle is a very different investment to good-quality ground at €8,000+/acre. Rule-of-thumb per-acre returns are a poor guide; get a forester to produce a site-specific yield forecast before you buy.