The North East Forestry Group (NEFG) has announced the launch of its fourth knowledge transfer group (KTG) programme.
Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the programme aims to increase awareness of, and encourage, good forest management for forest owners in counties Cavan, Louth, Meath, and Monaghan.
Good forest-management practices will be highlighted and processes involved in forest certification will be outlined, the group said.
In addition, participants or their immediate family, will be paid €70 per meeting attended for a total of seven meetings.
The North East Forestry Group (NEFG) was the first forestry producer group in Ireland to achieve forest certification.
The KTG is open to existing and prospective members of the North East Forestry Group on a first-come basis.
However, existing forest owners who have not taken part in the course in the previous three years – 2019–2021 – are eligible.
Registration will close when the programme is fully subscribed and the first meeting will take place on Thursday, August 25, in Kells, Co. Meath.
Professional forester, Sarah Standish, who is the group’s facilitator, will lead each module and provide forestry guidance and expertise on the subjects covered.
Donal Whelan and Mechteld Schuller who worked with the NEFG on the forest-certification project when the group obtained certification, will assist with the certification elements of the programme.
They will explain the roles and responsibilities of the group manager and the forest owners within a certification group structure. By attending this KTG, forest owners will understand the longer-term benefits of good forest management and also of obtaining forest certification.
As part of the KTG, there will be visits to existing NEFG members’ forest to share experiences, and a forestry contractor will share information on the documentation he needs to provide the forest owner with when doing simple forest operations.
Financial and environmental benefits of group certification will also be discussed.
The seven meetings will include up to four field trips to various locations in the region.
Derek McCabe, chairperson of the NEFG said: “This KTG is a fantastic opportunity for private forest owners who are thinking about certifying their forest to meet and discuss various challenges and to see how other private forest owners are managing their woodlands.
“It’s an opportunity for private forestry owners to take control for the future of their investment, thereby maximising their returns. Knowledge is power and knowledge in a group setting is even more power. Take ownership of your forestry and bring it to the next level.”
Anyone interested in joining is encouraged to make contact with the group.