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Teagasc Forestry e-News: Issue 151, 19 December 2022.

Welcome to our Christmas edition. In our last e-newsletter of 2022, we share with you the winning images of our popular forest photo competition, introduce our new Forestry Liaison Officer and provide you with an update regarding the new Forestry Programme.

We also make you aware of a new video series providing you with practical tips how to manage ash dieback and have some excellent suggestions for you to work off those Christmas puddings!
 
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2022 Teagasc Forest Photo Competition
Minister Pippa Hackett with Teagasc Forestry Liaison Officer Paul Butler announcing the overall 2022 Teagasc forest photo competition winner.

The overall winner of the 2022 Teagasc Forest Photo Competition was announced last Friday by the Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Senator Pippa Hackett.

The winner of the “Celebrating our shared national vision for trees, woods and forests” competition is Ciaran Willmore from Dublin with his image “The Hidden Waterfall”. This striking photograph, celebrates the constant interactions of forests and water in Glenmalure, Co Wicklow, one of Ciaran’s favourite places.

Follow the link below to view the winning images as well as the highly commended images of the three featured categories: Forests for Nature, Forests for People and Forests for Wood.
2022 Teagasc Forest Photo Competition â€ș
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New Forestry Liaison Officer appointed
Paul Butler has been appointed as Teagasc’s new Forestry Liaison Officer. He brings a wealth of experience to this role.

Paul has a degree in Environmental Science and a Master’s degree in Forestry. He has worked on forestry projects in Ireland, Spain, Peru and El Salvador. He is particularly interested in the integration of forestry and agriculture and also in the mental health benefits of farm forestry. He has his own organic farm and grant-aided birch forest.

As our Forestry Liaison Officer, he is involved, in conjunction with colleagues in the Forestry Development Department, in all elements of Teagasc’s promotion of forestry in Ireland. This happens especially through teaching inputs at Teagasc colleges and at a range of external institutes such as the Munster Technological University and also through the upskilling of Teagasc Agricultural Development Officers highlighting the positive role of trees in agriculture. 
Introducing Paul Butler â€ș
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Forestry Programme 2023-2027 - Update
The public consultation process closed at the end of November. The Forestry Division of the DAFM are now reviewing the very high number of submissions for incorporation into the Programme and the Forest Strategy.

This will allow the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment process of being finalised. 

Teagasc understands that State Aid approval will follow ‘early in the New Year’.

The Programme is the main implementation mechanism for the new Forest Strategy (2023 -2030) which reflects the ambitions contained in the Shared National Vision for Trees, Woods and Forests in Ireland until 2050.

No further details are available yet but as soon as they become available, we will let you know.
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Video series – Managing ash dieback
Teagasc’s Forestry Development Department have produced a series of six videos “Managing ash dieback” to provide objective advice to forest owners whose ash plantations have been affected by ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) and to highlight the important factors that need to be considered when removing the infected ash trees and replacing them with alternative tree species.

The topics covered are:
  • Life cycle and symptoms;
  • Forest roads;
  • Timber harvesting;
  • Selection, planting and protection;
  • Remedial silvicultural research and
  • Tolerant genotypes research.

These and other forestry-related videos can be viewed on the Teagasc Forestry YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/teagascforestryvideos.
Discover Teagasc Forestry on YouTube â€ș
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Go for a walk...
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Christmas is a great time to escape the treadmill of daily life for a while and spend some quality time with your family. Why not take time out over the Christmas period and go for a walk in a forest near you?

The health benefits – both physical and mental – are well documented. Going for a walk improves physical health, stimulates the brain, boosts mental wellbeing and helps us to sleep better.

However, it is very important that you do not trespass – you must respect other people’s private property.

The 20,000+ forest owners in Ireland are lucky that they can go for a walk in their own wood and at the same time check if anything needs to be done. The checklist below will give you ideas what to look out for.

Winter management tasks
  • Maintain good access to and through your forest
  • Check tree stocking and replace dead trees where necessary
  • Check for nutrient deficiencies (in conifers) and take foliar samples now if required
  • Check drainage and improve where necessary
  • Check fences and repair where necessary
  • Carry out formative shaping on broadleaves, especially oak
  • Mark potential crop trees
  • Carry out high pruning if/when appropriate
  • Cut inspection paths in your conifer plantation
  • And don’t forget to review your 2023 insurance cover
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Forestry Development Department, Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co Galway, Ireland, H65 R718
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