IRELAND — Forestry sales have reached an “all time high”, with year on year increases between 15-25%, according to Tradeforus Forestry Ltd. Typical prices for bare land are between €7,000 and €8,500 per acre depending on location, access, land quality and plot size, according to the business. Premium plots of Sitka Spruce, depending on age are being sold for up to €10,000 per acre. Office and auction manager Lorraine Woulfe said that “there is real interest in forestry investment at present”. She said that investments are coming from institutional forestry investment funds, semi state companies and farmers. Almost 23,000 landowners’ own forestry in Ireland now, according to Woulfe. Buyers are mainly interested in commercial conifer plantations, but more recently, there has been an upsurge of people interested in buying broadleaf plantations. The crop age, yield class and time to clearfell are also key factors for valuations. Premiums remaining to be drawn is also a factor, according to Woulfe.