Forest walks: managing young forests

Early management is essential to get the best returns from your forest in the future.

Teagasc, in association with the Forest Service, DAFM, is organising a nationwide series of forest walks from 19 to 28 April, focusing on the management of young forests. At these events, forestry experts from Teagasc and the Forest Service will explain why it is essential to care for young forests.

Why is early management so important?

New forests require several years of active management to become well established. If a forest is not well maintained, future timber revenue is likely to be compromised.

It is therefore very important to ensure that the young forest will perform well and that budding forest owners know what needs to be done each year. This is also true if the management of the forest has been subcontracted out for the first four years. After all, it is the owner that will benefit financially from well looked after trees.

Another very good reason is because the payment of the second instalment of the Afforestation Scheme (maintenance grant) and forestry premium is subject to the forest successfully achieving certain standards.

Focus in the first few years will be on controlling the surrounding vegetation, ensuring that browsing animals won't damage the young trees, replanting of failed trees, assessing nutrient needs, shaping of broadleaf trees, and reducing the risk of fires.

Who will benefit from attending?

This nationwide series of forest walks is aimed at landowners who have established a new forest in the last few years. Landowners who are considering planting some land will also find these events very useful.

The aim of these walks is to provide guidance to forest owners. Forest owners need to take an active role in the management of their forests to maximise future timber revenue.

Do you want to find out more?

See table below for event details. Further details are available from your local Forestry Development Officer.