Forest owner groups across Ireland are hosting a number of forestry knowledge transfer group (KTG) programmes in early 2024.
The events, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) as part of a three-year programme, will facilitate learning and increase the knowledge of forest owners on all aspects of the forestry sector.
The discussions are facilitated by a professional forester and will incorporate both classroom-style learning, as well as practical elements and outdoor events.
There will be numerous different locations for the training, ran by different forest owner groups. The locations and groups include:
- Moate, Co. Westmeath – North Midlands Farm Forestry Group;
- Inishowen, Donegal – Donegal Woodland Owners Society;
- Kilkenny – Irish Wood Producers;
- Laois – Laois Farm Forestry Group;
- Cavan, Louth, Meath and Monaghan – North East Forestry Group (with specific focus on forest certification);
- Waterford – Irish Wood Producers;
- Wexford – Irish Wood Producers.
A total of seven meetings and events will be organised for each KTG programme, which can each have a maximum of 20 participants.
Each participant who completes the programme will receive a maximum payment of €560.
Facilitators will receive €500 per annum per participant in their group where all the requirements of the programme have been met, according to DAFM.
Forestry event eligibility
Where the number of forest owners exceeds the places available, selection will be on the basis of first come first served, according to Irish Forestry Owners.
The programme is open to forest owners or joint forest owners, although only one participant associated with a single forest property can participate in a single KTG.
Participants must be aged 18 years or over and do not need to be a member of a forest owner group or a farmer. Participants cannot have participated in a forestry KTG in the previous three years.
Expressions of interest can be made on the Irish Forest Owners website.