The North East Forestry Group (NEFG) is set to host a number of events for knowledge transfer (KT) groups aimed at helping forest owners to gain group certification for their woodlands.
The events, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), will allow forest owners to increase their knowledge of how to get the best return from their woodland by sharing their experiences with others.
The seven meetings will also highlight good forestry management practices, simple forest operations and the documentation which owners are required to complete.
Forestry
The KT groups are open to forest owners in counties Cavan; Louth; Meath and Monaghan with participants being paid €70 for each meeting attended.
Forest owners can attend the groups as long as they have not taken part in a similar course in the previous three years.
The programme will be available to both existing and prospective new members of the North East Forestry Group on a first come basis. Registration will close when the programme is fully subscribed.
The meetings will include up to four field trips to NEFG members’ forests in the region.
Linda Coughlan, who has experience in forestry management and certification, will act as the group facilitator.
The certification elements of the programme will be covered by Donal Whelan and Mechteld Schuller who previously worked with NEFG on the forest certification project.
Knowledge transfer
Derek McCabe, chairperson of the North East Forestry Group said: “This Knowledge Transfer programme 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,” he said.
The North East Forestry Group was formed with the support of Teagasc in May 2013 and is the only private forest owners’ group to have Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest certification in Ireland.
According to current data, there are 462 private forestry owners in Cavan, 259 in Meath, 164 in Monaghan and 45 in Louth.