Paul Butler

Additional Details

Directions to his office: Athenry Animal & Grassland Research Centre

Profile

Paul Butler did an Environmental Science degree in 1982 and subsequently worked in Environmental/Farm Education for two years before taking a job in the Peruvian Amazon where he worked for over two years on the integration of farm crops and permanent forest cover in agricultural projects in the area of the Manu Biosphere reserve. He also worked in Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia.

He then worked in private forestry (afforestation projects) in Ireland for several years and then in Duchas in Glenveagh National Park. While there he did a Masters degree in Forestry in UCD including a thesis on teak plantation growth rates in El Salvador.

He was for a number of seasons involved in supplying forest tree seeds to Coillte nurseries. He has planted his own land with Alder/Birch (GPC 8) and is very interested in the non-wood values of trees and forests, including recreation, food forests and environmental stability. Of particular interest is the role that forests can play in our mental health.

He is now Forestry Liaison Officer with Teagasc based in Athenry where he promotes forestry through talks, courses and events.