Forestry firm aiming to grow amid climate change

John O’Reilly set up Co Cavan company Green Belt in 1982 to manage private forestry planting on behalf of institutional investors.

“We began as a service provider, organising the work on the ground - the planting, fencing, cultivation and drainage,” said O’Reilly. “Ireland’s forestry estate has roughly two million acres. About half is owned by Coillte and the remainder is privately owned.”

Green Belt has established more than 400,000 acres of new forestry ...