The forestry and livestock sectors are seen by many farmers as being at opposite ends of the agriculture spectrum but this is no longer the case, according to RDS president Bernie Brennan. “The future of both sectors is set to be linked like never before through the international requirement to view our agricultural emissions holistically,” she told the large audience at the 2018 Spring Agriculture and Forestry Awards. “We are obliged to balance our dairy and beef greenhouse gas emissions, with our carbon sequestration through our forests and woodlands.”

Most of the entrants in the production forestry category sector combine agriculture and forestry. This impressed the judges Brendan Fitzsimons, Henry Philips, Harry O’Brien and Peter Leonard and was also praised by Minister of State Andrew Doyle whose Department provided sponsorship for the awards.

Andrew O’Carroll, Rathcash, Clifden, Co Kilkenny, was awarded the inaugural Teagasc Farm Forestry Award. Andrew planted 19ha of his 56ha farm in 2005 with 80% Sitka spruce, 15% Japanese larch and 5% alder.

He considered the forestry option to secure his farm’s long-term financial security. After doing some research and taking advice from Teagasc and Coillte, he decided to plant some of his poorer quality agricultural land. “This land was on higher ground than the rest of the farm and had a shorter grazing season and both my uncles advised me that forestry would be an option for this poorer land as they knew from hard years of experience how difficult it was to farm it,” he said.

With the money generated from the 20-year guaranteed premium, he rented an equivalent amount of good agricultural land on a long-term lease. He can now plan the farm enterprise in a more predictable and efficient way and is less dependent on weather conditions.

Ashling Foy-Minnock, Ballycahan, Durrow, Co Westmeath, won the Production Forestry Award. Ashling’s farm has been in the Minnock family for eight generations. The forest element was established in 1999 by her late husband, Brendan, and has been managed by Ashling since he died in 2009. It is being managed for timber production and has a good mix of species including conifers Sitka and Norway spruce and Japanese larch, as well as broadleaves such as sycamore, ash, Norway maple and Italian alder.

What particularly impressed the judges in Ballycahon was that the entire area was mapped with a full inventory including information on yield class, stocking and production data. Central to this was a comprehensive management plan produced by forester Jim Crowley.

First place in the Community Woodlands Award went to Colin Glen Forest Park near Dunmurry, Belfast. This area was once highly industrialised and was regarded as a blight on the landscape due to pollution and exploitation in the past. However, a conservation and afforestation programme was initiated and slowly Colin Glen was restored.

Today, this urban forest is a valuable community amenity with picnic areas, bridges and woodland trails running by the Colin River.

Coillte won the Multipurpose Forestry Award for its sensitive management of Curraghchase Forest Park, Co Limerick. The forest has 300ha of rolling parkland, trails, mixed species, lakes and an arboretum in what was once the home of the poet Sir Aubrey de Vere.

Curraghchase requires sensitive management as there are a number of Special Areas of Conservation in the park. The lesser horseshoe bat is present and the hawfinch – a rare bird in Ireland – feeds on hornbeam, a tree species that grows well in Curraghchase.

While enhanced farm income and biodiversity were the main reasons for planting, other benefits were highlighted by the runners-up. Thomas Duffy, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim, cited shelter as important when part planting his mainly suckler beef farm while Marianne Lyons emphasised wildlife conservation in Ballyhaise.

Sean McGuinness stressed quality timber production in the mixed conifer broadleaf woodland at Hilton Forest Park Estate, while Colm Foy, Ballynacarigy, Co Westmeath, encourages education, making his 42ha forest available for Teagasc and forestry students attending Ballyhaise College.