Government forestry policy is set out in the 1996 strategy document "Growing for the Future". A key objective of this strategy is to increase the extent of the nation's forests from the current level of about 9% to 17%. Increasing the area under forest would result eventually in the achievement of a sustainable level of timber production of about 13 million m³ annually up from the current level of under 3 million m³. Achieving this increase in forest area will require a significant investment in new forests by Coillte, farmers and other landowners.

Coillte contributes to this national objective primarily by working with farmers through its Farm Forestry Partnership Scheme and providing expert farm forestry services. Under the partnership arrangement the farmer provides land on which Coillte plants a forest, the farmer receives financial support via the forestry grants and premiums schemes and the revenue generated from the sale of timber is shared between the farmer and Coillte. Coillte also provides expert advice and services to farmers who choose to plant their own land, through its network of offices nationwide.

In addition to the partnership and planting services Coillte also purchases a small amount of land annually to expand its forests. Purchase of land has become a much smaller part of the expansion programme in recent years as most new planting of forests is being done by, or on behalf of, farmers.

Five-year data for Coillte's land acquisition and farm partnership programmes are as follows:

Type	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Farm Partnership	151.67	116.29	27.42	118.7	181
Land Acquisition	4	56	16	37	39
Totals	155.05	172.29	43.42	155.7	22