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Awards are important milestones only if they reward the highest standards and performance. They have to build up a reputation over time that provides assurances they are worthwhile and that the recipients are worthy of the accolades, which should be awarded by a discerning, independent and experienced judging panel.
The RDS-Forest Service Forestry Awards, initiated in 1987, fulfil these criteria but continue to evolve to cater for a sector that has seen forest cover double in Ireland over the past four decades.
Track record
Although the forestry awards are relatively new, the track record of the dual sponsors goes back much further. The origin of the Forest Service predates the foundation of the State, while the RDS began its association with Irish forestry much earlier.
The involvement of the RDS – then the Dublin Society – in Irish forestry dates to 1741, when it provided funds mainly for afforestation projects from the Privy Purse until 1761.
This was followed by funding from Grattan’s Parliament up until the Act of Union, 1800, in what is regarded as the first private-state forestry collaboration in the world.
The establishment of the first forestry awards 31 years ago coincided with the beginning of private planting as the State began to phase out its afforestation programme. Most private growers were – and are – first generation forest owners, so the awards were designed to promote and encourage good silvicultural practice to an audience that was new to forestry.
The emphasis was to ensure quality forests, with timber production a central objective.
However, the awards also acknowledge that forestry is a sophisticated multipurpose land use, which includes wood and non-wood benefits.
In addition to wood production, the forest provides biodiversity enhancement as well as recreation, social, climate change and environmental benefits which are reflected in the following four prize categories:
1. Production forestry.
2. Multipurpose forestry.
3. Teagasc farm forestry award.
4. Community woodlands.
The RDS recently announced the call for entries for this year’s awards in the farm forest of Co Kilkenny farmer Andrew O’Carroll, winner of the RDS-Teagasc Farm Forestry Award last April.
Announcing this year’s awards, Minister of State with responsibility for forestry Andrew Doyle said: “A noteworthy feature of Andrew’s farm is the way in which forestry complements his other farm enterprises.”
He said the farm was “an excellent example of whole farm planning, which incorporates the integration of a drystock enterprise, forestry and GLAS measures in a complementary manner in order to maximise the benefits to the overall farm enterprise”.
The 2018 Irish Forest and Woodland Awards will help the RDS and Forest Service identify the very best forests, forest owners and forester – north and south. Many winners open their forests for field days and demonstration events, which is a major benefit of the awards and “an example for others to follow and showcase the vast potential that sustainable forestry offers rural Ireland,” maintained Patricia Byrne, chair of the RDS committee of agriculture and rural affairs.
“Everyone with woodland is encouraged to enter as all woodlands, large or small, are of merit,” she said. “Award judges will visit all short-listed entries over the summer months and having the judges visit your woodlands is one of the great benefits of entering the awards, as they are experienced foresters and can advise in the development of your woodlands.”
Need for forests
Minister Doyle encouraged farmers with forests to enter the awards and also stressed the need for more forests in Ireland as we still have only 10.8% of the land under forestry. “There are generous incentives available under the Afforestation Scheme and I believe that the farm forestry approach as demonstrated by Andrew O’Carroll is the way forward. This ensures that planting trees does not replace agriculture but works alongside agriculture as part of the farming mix, which merits serious consideration.”
Closing date for entries to the awards is Friday July 13 2018. Forest owners who require additional information can contact the RDS Agriculture Foundation Department directly on 01-240 7215. Application forms are available on the RDS website, www.rds.ie/forestry, or via email from forestry@rds.ie. In addition to customised award medals, certificates and original wood crafted trophies, there is a total prize fund of €12,000 available.
Co Kilkenny farmer combines suckler and forestry enterprise along with GLAS to maximise income
Tom Houlihan, Teagasc
The RDS-Teagasc award winning farm forest of Andrew O’Carroll in Rathcash, Clara, Co Kilkenny, is the result of a land use decision taken in 2005 which he hasn’t regretted. “I was in the privileged position of being able to lease good ground in its place, so I can put my inputs into this land, facilitated by the premiums from forestry,” he said. “It’s all positive and has gone to plan, with the forestry element developing a family pension pot that is well ahead of schedule.”
Andrew’s forest is highly productive and will reach first thinning stage in 2019, at age 14. A second thinning is scheduled to be completed before his final forest premium at year 20 is received. The growth potential of the forest indicates it can achieve commercial timber sizes within 30 years.
Andrew, in conjunction with forester Mick Power, planted 19ha of land comprising three parcels in an outfarm which was inherited in 2005. The planted parcels were on wetter ground than the rest of the farm and had a shorter grazing season, which presented regular difficulties for farming.
“Tractors and animals were getting stuck and one would be thinking in springtime, when will I get out there,” he said. “I spread lime on the land in the month of April and didn’t mark it, but the previous June, cattle could still be going to their knees in it. I can pass up there now in a completely different frame of mind.”
He said: “The practical running of the day-to-day farm enterprise has been greatly helped by having leased ground available as well as my farm forest providing an income source.”
Terry Carroll, Andrew’s Teagasc drystock adviser, summed up Andrew’s approach and other farmers taking this route: “You have the land bank and it is up to you to farm it and maximise the use that you can make from it.”
He explained how Andrew runs a suckler enterprise on 56ha of land, including 26ha that is leased. His farm carries almost 50 suckler cows, selling mostly as forward stores with a progeny of Limousin and using a Norbreck bull. Calving takes place in March and April.
“Andrew is ‘driving the system’ well and constantly striving to improve on the good gross margins he already achieves,” said Terry. “Andrew is also in GLAS since its inception in 2015 and has wild bird cover, traditional hay meadow and low-input pasture.”
He said forestry provided opportunities for farmers with marginal land. “It is great that there are schemes such as the forestry initiative which provide good support measures as well as premiums and planting grants. The selected combination of suckler cows, GLAS and forestry are complementing each other which has allowed Andrew make the absolute best social and economic land use decision.”
Dr Nuala Ni Fhlatharta, Head of Teagasc Forestry Development Department, said Teagasc is delighted to be associated with the awards and commended the RDS for its continued involvement in promoting Irish forestry. “The Teagasc award category promotes the positive sustainable contribution of forestry as an integral enterprise within the wider farming profile,” she said.
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