Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for forestry, Niall Collins, opened and addressed the National Forestry Conference which met today (Friday, November 6). 

The Society of Irish Foresters in collaboration with DAFM hosted this year’s conference which coincides with the Irish EU Presidency.

The event, at Coillte Forest Park, Avondale, Co. Wicklow, focused attention on the role of forests and forest products in the adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

Minister Collins stated: “Ireland’s Forest Strategy prioritises a range of actions which are aimed at delivering the climate, nature and wood benefits of forests.

"Forests not only remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but also store carbon in timber products.”

Forestry

The Society of Irish Foresters has been organising a National Forestry Conference over many years and has over 700 members.

Most members are professional foresters who work across the whole spectrum of Ireland’s forest industry.

This year’s conference brought together a wide range of speakers to discuss the impacts of climate change, the Ireland Forest Strategy and the importance of wood for a low carbon future.

Minister Collins continued: “Forests are central to many of the global policy challenges we face including climate and biodiversity challenges.

"Today before the conference started, I planted a sessile oak tree which is Ireland’s national tree as a symbol of the importance of planting trees.

"Ireland has ambitious plans to expand our timber resource and restore our native forests."

The minister added that the government is committed to supporting the sustainable development of the forestry sector.

"I encourage all landowners to consider forestry as a sustainable land use option and to avail of the range of financial supports from my department’s forestry programme.”