Species selection, biomass and carbon sequestration are among the topics that are set to be explored at a series of forestry webinars running over the coming months.
Forestry Solutions is being organised by Irish Forest Owners, in collaboration with the Society of Irish Foresters and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Irish Forest Owners was formed as an umbrella organisation to support private forest owners and forest owner groups in Ireland.
The speakers at the webinar will include experts from University College Dublin (UCD), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), the University of Limerick (UL), Teagasc, the Soil Association and forestry owners.
Forestry groups such as the Timber Marketing Federation and the Irish Timber Growers’ Association (ITGA) will also take part.
Forestry topics
The webinars, which begin this evening at 7:00p.m, are aimed at forestry stakeholders and those with an interest in woodlands.
The series will run for 10 sessions until next March.
Among the topics up for discussion will be the timber markets, specification of products, expansion of timber use and possibilities within the field of bio-engineering.
Experts will examine matching species to sites, alternative varieties and nursery stock availability.
Carbon sequestration
The role of forestry in terms of climate change mitigation will also be included in the series.
A webinar will be dedicated to the potential of biomass, local energy hubs and investment from industry in this area to achieve zero carbon.
Forestry owners will also have a chance to discuss how their plantation may be assessed and measured in terms of carbon sequestration.
International focus
The series will have an international dimension with organisations from Ireland, UK and France making presentations on how they operate and support local forest owners in each country.
Webinars will explore silvicultural methods, which not only deals with managing forests for timber, but also for wildlife, water and recreational uses.
Research from European forestry institutions on more diverse forest products will be also be examined.