A forestry alternative to clearfelling

Ballyhaise College is set to host a forest management walk on Tuesday evening, June 16 that explores continuous cover options.

This event is part of Teagasc’s commitment to fostering environmental stewardship and promoting the sustainable development of forestry in Ireland.

The walk will focus on an introduction to Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) and will explore the potential of broadleaf and conifer trees that could be planted in Irish forestry.

Kevin O’Connell and Jonathan Spazzi, Forestry Advisors with Teagasc, will be on hand to provide advice. Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) is a way of managing forests so that the land remains under forest cover at all times.

Instead of clear-felling an entire area and then replanting it, owners selectively remove individual trees or small groups of trees while encouraging natural regeneration and maintaining a continuous canopy. Forests to be managed under CCF can be planned at the establishment stage or existing forests can be transformed afterwards.

Choosing the best tree species to plant either at establishment time or supplementary planting afterwards will depend on the owners objectives, site conditions, regulations, and long-term management plans.

There is no single “best” species for all sites. Under the afforestation scheme, grants are available for Forest Type 10 – Continuous Cover Forestry with an aim to create production forests which are suitably structured to be managed as continuous cover forests from establishment.

For older forests the Woodland Improvement Scheme gives forest owners a wide range of financial support options to sustainably manage their forests. There are payments available for ecosystem services for those wishing to manage their woodland under Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF).

Organised by Ballyhaise Teagasc, in association with the Dept. Agriculture, Food & Marine (DAFM), this walk through a young Continuous Cover Forestry plot consisting of an over storey of Larch and an understorey of Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock, Hornbeam & Sycamore, will focus on the different management options available.

There will also be an opportunity to visit plots of different tree species to assess their potential use in Irish forestry. It is an ideal opportunity for participants to plan for and envisage how their woodlands can develop and be managed. The walk is open to all.

The forest walk is organised in Teagasc Ballyhaise College (H12 E392) for Tuesday, June 16 at 7pm.

See advert on p31 for more.