This year’s RDS-Forest Service Irish forestry awards were announced in conjunction with the Livestock Awards. The event, freshly branded as the Spring Awards, marked a new departure for the RDS.
While forestry and livestock might appear as strange bedfellows, Andrew Doyle, Minister of State, who presented the awards, stated: “I have always maintained that agriculture and forestry should be considered as complementary land use options and I think it is fitting that the awards are combined in this way.”
Bernie Brennan, RDS president, agreed. “We are obliged to balance our dairy and beef greenhouse gas emissions, with our carbon sequestration through our forests and woodlands,” she said.
Main winners
The Production Forestry Award – over 15ha – went to Billy Connell, Collinstown, Co Westmeath, for his mixed-species woodland.
“Billy decided to plant part of his farm in forestry as difficulties with TB outbreaks decimated his cattle enterprise, another reason being that a substantial area of the farm was very hilly,” said Alistair Pfeifer, chair of the judging panel. He established a plantation of 40ha and over the years he has created direct employment for two family members, six part-time chainsaw workers and a forester.
The species composition of the plantation is 88% broadleaves comprising oak, ash, sycamore and cherry. The remainder consists of conifers, mainly Norway spruce. The broadleaves in particular impressed Alistair and his fellow judges Michael Cregan and Brendan Fitzsimmons.
The Production Forestry Award – under 15ha – went to Robert Hamilton, Banagher, Co Offaly, for his mixed-species woodland.
“Robert’s woodland is small – just over five hectares – but it is diverse, highly productive and is managed for many different purposes,” maintained Pfeifer. “Objectives include high-quality timber production, encouraging a wide range of native flora and fauna, and access for public recreation,” he said.
Species composition of the woodland is 72 % broadleaves and 28% conifer, with beech and Sitka spruce being the two-main species. Other species include Douglas fir, ash, cherry and sessile oak as well as other oak species.
The Multipurpose Forestry Award was won by Coillte for its sensitive management of Portumna Forest Park, Co Galway. Almost 90% of the forest area has biodiversity, conservation and recreation as primary management objectives, while the remainder is timber production. As well as being an important tourist attraction in its own right, it is also an important area for nature conservation, having 140ha of Special Conservation Areas within the park which has a total area of 423ha.
The Community Woodlands Award went to Castlecomer Discovery Park. This is managed as a social community enterprise and comprises 25ha of old woodland which is part of a larger Coillte forest property located on the outskirts of Castlecomer town.
The judges were impressed by this Coillte-community partnership which they said “is a model scheme showing how the management of existing woodlands can serve to support a wide range of recreational activities”. Even though the project in only 10 years old, it is the third most popular visitor attraction in Co Kilkenny.
Other winners
It emerged from the judges’ citation that many forests ran the main winners very close and may be contenders in future awards. Special tributes were paid to the following category runners-up, emerging entrants and provincial winners:
Mark and Fiona Magennis, Glencar, Co Sligo – Best New Entrant Award.Paddy Bowes, Cappataggle, Co Galway - runner-up, Production Forestry – over 15ha. Anne O’Reilly, Crossdoney, Co Cavan, runner-up, Production Forestry – under 15ha.Coillte-owned Knockbarron Wood, Kinnitty, Co Offaly – runner-up, Multipurpose Forestry. Dunmore East Woods and Park Trust, Co Waterford – runner-up, Community Woodlands Award.The provincial winners were:
Peter and Laura Fletcher, Clonmel, Co Waterford.McMahon Park, Claremorris, Co Mayo. Andrew Clark, Armoy, Co Antrim.Kristo Dawson, Legan, Co Longford.One of Ireland’s leading timber processors, ECC Timber, has appointed Charlie McCreevy to its board of directors as a non-executive director. The appointment of the former finance minister and EU commissioner marks the company’s 25th year in business.
“It is the first major appointment since the ownership of the company became 100% owned by the Fahy family last year with the purchase of Aurivo’s shareholding in the business,” said ECC founder P.J. Fahy.
“We are extremely proud and privileged to have Mr McCreevy on board as his vast knowledge and experience from the world of politics, business and finance will be very beneficial as we continue to grow the company.”
Commenting on his appointment, McCreevy said: “I am pleased to be appointed to the board of ECC Timber, a family run company which has turned the challenges of the past number of years into a success story. I look forward to working with the company’s board to help drive further growth and development.”
Caption
P.J. Fahy, who founded ECC Teoranta in 1992, welcomes Charlie McCreevy to the Board of the Corr na Mona based company with Daryl Fahy (right), managing director.
This year’s RDS-Forest Service Irish forestry awards were announced in conjunction with the Livestock Awards. The event, freshly branded as the Spring Awards, marked a new departure for the RDS.
While forestry and livestock might appear as strange bedfellows, Andrew Doyle, Minister of State, who presented the awards, stated: “I have always maintained that agriculture and forestry should be considered as complementary land use options and I think it is fitting that the awards are combined in this way.”
Bernie Brennan, RDS president, agreed. “We are obliged to balance our dairy and beef greenhouse gas emissions, with our carbon sequestration through our forests and woodlands,” she said.
Main winners
The Production Forestry Award – over 15ha – went to Billy Connell, Collinstown, Co Westmeath, for his mixed-species woodland.
“Billy decided to plant part of his farm in forestry as difficulties with TB outbreaks decimated his cattle enterprise, another reason being that a substantial area of the farm was very hilly,” said Alistair Pfeifer, chair of the judging panel. He established a plantation of 40ha and over the years he has created direct employment for two family members, six part-time chainsaw workers and a forester.
The species composition of the plantation is 88% broadleaves comprising oak, ash, sycamore and cherry. The remainder consists of conifers, mainly Norway spruce. The broadleaves in particular impressed Alistair and his fellow judges Michael Cregan and Brendan Fitzsimmons.
The Production Forestry Award – under 15ha – went to Robert Hamilton, Banagher, Co Offaly, for his mixed-species woodland.
“Robert’s woodland is small – just over five hectares – but it is diverse, highly productive and is managed for many different purposes,” maintained Pfeifer. “Objectives include high-quality timber production, encouraging a wide range of native flora and fauna, and access for public recreation,” he said.
Species composition of the woodland is 72 % broadleaves and 28% conifer, with beech and Sitka spruce being the two-main species. Other species include Douglas fir, ash, cherry and sessile oak as well as other oak species.
The Multipurpose Forestry Award was won by Coillte for its sensitive management of Portumna Forest Park, Co Galway. Almost 90% of the forest area has biodiversity, conservation and recreation as primary management objectives, while the remainder is timber production. As well as being an important tourist attraction in its own right, it is also an important area for nature conservation, having 140ha of Special Conservation Areas within the park which has a total area of 423ha.
The Community Woodlands Award went to Castlecomer Discovery Park. This is managed as a social community enterprise and comprises 25ha of old woodland which is part of a larger Coillte forest property located on the outskirts of Castlecomer town.
The judges were impressed by this Coillte-community partnership which they said “is a model scheme showing how the management of existing woodlands can serve to support a wide range of recreational activities”. Even though the project in only 10 years old, it is the third most popular visitor attraction in Co Kilkenny.
Other winners
It emerged from the judges’ citation that many forests ran the main winners very close and may be contenders in future awards. Special tributes were paid to the following category runners-up, emerging entrants and provincial winners:
Mark and Fiona Magennis, Glencar, Co Sligo – Best New Entrant Award.Paddy Bowes, Cappataggle, Co Galway - runner-up, Production Forestry – over 15ha. Anne O’Reilly, Crossdoney, Co Cavan, runner-up, Production Forestry – under 15ha.Coillte-owned Knockbarron Wood, Kinnitty, Co Offaly – runner-up, Multipurpose Forestry. Dunmore East Woods and Park Trust, Co Waterford – runner-up, Community Woodlands Award.The provincial winners were:
Peter and Laura Fletcher, Clonmel, Co Waterford.McMahon Park, Claremorris, Co Mayo. Andrew Clark, Armoy, Co Antrim.Kristo Dawson, Legan, Co Longford.One of Ireland’s leading timber processors, ECC Timber, has appointed Charlie McCreevy to its board of directors as a non-executive director. The appointment of the former finance minister and EU commissioner marks the company’s 25th year in business.
“It is the first major appointment since the ownership of the company became 100% owned by the Fahy family last year with the purchase of Aurivo’s shareholding in the business,” said ECC founder P.J. Fahy.
“We are extremely proud and privileged to have Mr McCreevy on board as his vast knowledge and experience from the world of politics, business and finance will be very beneficial as we continue to grow the company.”
Commenting on his appointment, McCreevy said: “I am pleased to be appointed to the board of ECC Timber, a family run company which has turned the challenges of the past number of years into a success story. I look forward to working with the company’s board to help drive further growth and development.”
Caption
P.J. Fahy, who founded ECC Teoranta in 1992, welcomes Charlie McCreevy to the Board of the Corr na Mona based company with Daryl Fahy (right), managing director.
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