€145,000 awarded for forestry promotion projects
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has awarded over €145,000 to a number of organisations for the promotion of forestry.
The funding comes under the department's Forestry Promotion Projects Open Call, which opened in April.
The department’s Forestry Promotion Projects Open Call aims to provide funding for projects that "highlight the benefits and opportunities of forestry".
These benefits can include those for climate, nature, people, and the rural economy, and encouraging landowners to consider planting trees, the department said.
According to the department, the projects reflect the diversity of Ireland’s forestry sector, ranging from large scale events and public engagement activities to targeted knowledge-sharing initiatives focused on specific topics such as afforestation, forest certification, agroforestry, continuous cover forestry and native woodlands.
A total of €145,632 has been been awarded to ten projects, as follows:
| Organisation | Project | Location | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish Wood Producers | Ireland's Woodland Show | Kilkenny | €41,694 |
| Woodlands of Ireland | Celebrating 25 years of Native Woodland Scheme | Leitrim | €12,360 |
| Farm TV | Audio-visual content promoting forestry | Nationwide | €14,368 |
| Hometree | Empowering Action for Woodlands | Nationwide | €10,875 |
| Pro Silva | Promoting continuous cover forestry | Nationwide | €16,810 |
| The Forestry Now Podcast | 'Deep dive' series on forestry | Nationwide | €8,400 |
| Irish Agroforestry Forum | Agroforestry Knowledge Exchange | Nationwide | €14,125 |
| Native Events & Veon | Research project for forestry promotion | Nationwide | €10,000 |
| Silva Nua | Native Woodland open day | Galway | €7,000 |
| Irish Timber Growers Association | Information projects on forestry schemes | Nationwide | €10,000 |
Commenting on the funding, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon said: "It is important that the department supports innovative projects that promote forestry as a valuable opportunity for farmers and landowners to diversify their land holdings and income."
The announcement comes after representatives of the projects that received funding met with Minister of State for forestry Niall Collins yesterday (Tuesday, June 30).
Speaking at yesterday's meeting, Minister Collins said: "I look forward to seeing the positive impact these initiatives will have in promoting the many benefits of forestry.
"[The] department is pleased to support these projects, which will help farmers and landowners to understand what forestry can offer and how it can fit with their plans, so that they can make informed decisions about how they use their land," Minister Collins added.
