1—(1) The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (“the Department”) has the general duty of promoting afforestation and sustainable forestry.
(2) The Department must carry out that duty—
(a)in relation to forestry land, in such a way as to promote and encourage the enjoyment and recreational use of that land by the public; and
(b)in relation to other forests, in such a way as to promote the social benefits of those forests.
(3) In this Act—
“forest” includes woodland;
“forestry” includes—
the production and supply of forest products and the maintenance of adequate reserves of growing trees;
the management and development of forests so as to contribute to the protection of the environment, biodiversity and the mitigation of, or adaptation to, climate change.
“forestry land” means any land held by the Department for the purposes of any of its functions under this Act;
“forest products” means timber and other products derived from, or produced in the course of, forestry.