Knowledge Transfer
To keep updated about the ContinuFOR project, please follow our Twitter account @continufor and #continufor 
Some events where the ContinuFOR research project was featured:
24 November 2023 - Teagasc Daily article published titled: "ContinuFOR project update: four thinnings into our continuous cover trials", highlighting the field and laboratory work we’ve been doing in 2023, as well as mentioning that we’ve found a site in which to install a third trial! The first two trial sites have both had their fourth thinnings, and in early 2024 we will start setting up the third trial site in Co. Roscommon.
16 November 2023 - 180+ students from primary and secondary level were invited to learn about the different work areas at Teagasc Ashtown. At a stand for Teagasc Forestry with Michael Somers, Dr. Grace Jones discussed her role as a Forestry Researcher and shared what she had been doing in the ContinuFOR project. They discussed opening up the forest canopy to encourage natural regeneration, a key feature of continuous cover forestry, and there was a display model of a house to show timber in use. Grace also demonstrated non-destructive testing for wood stiffness, using the same resonance-based tool that was used at Fossy Hill to test thinnings (HITMAN HM220, fiber-gen NZ).
September 2023 - a IUFRO_2023_ContinuFOR_poster (PDF) and short presentation on the ContinuFOR underplanting study were presented at the IUFRO Uneven-aged forestry conference in the Czech Republic. The poster detailed the results of our first year of tree growth and physiology data from our Dublin Mountains Makeover underplanting experiment in collaboration with Coillte Nature.
September 2023 - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Newsletter features an interview with SLU alumnus Dr. Grace Jones about her current work in Ireland and with the ContinuFOR project.
13 August 2023 - Tullamore Show. An estimated 55,000 attendees at this show, with great engagement at the Teagasc Forestry stand. Dr Grace Jones was there sharing information about forestry research and continuous cover forestry. Her poster focussed on non-destructive testing tools for assessment of wood stiffness, using time-of-flight for both sites, and further planned measurements for Fossy Hill, Co. Laois.
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July 2023 - Laura Harris (ContinuFOR PhD) wrote a guest blog for Coillte Nature – "Regenerating Forests In The Dublin Mountains". As part of the Dublin Mountains Makeover project, some stands of Sitka spruce are being managed under Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF). CCF typically relies on the natural regeneration of trees to restock the forest after selective felling. However, when natural regeneration is low or absent, or there is a desire to introduce a more diverse mix of tree species, underplanting can be used. As part of ContinuFOR, and in collaboration with Coillte, an underplanting research project has started in Cruagh and Ballyedmonduff Woods. The research will determine the relationship between forest canopy openness and the survival, growth, and health of a mix of underplanted conifer and broadleaf tree species.
6 July 2023 - CCF event at Springfield Castle, Co. Limerick. This farm conference/forest walk event was organised by Jonathan Spazzi (Teagasc), and had 90 participants over two sessions. Dr Ian Short gave a project overview and was available for questions and discussions around CCF practices. Attendees included forest owners, foresters, contractors, DAFM inspectors, Coillte staff, architects and more, with content relating to the challenges and opportunities for CCF transformation.
15 June 2023 - Dr Ian Short, Prof Áine Ní Dhubháin and Dr Grace Jones presented the Ballycullen site during the Pro Silva annual meeting in Co Wicklow. This was part of a three day event focussing on Irish examples of transformation from even-aged stands to more multifunctional diverse forests. The event had approximately 85 attendees representing 22 countries, so the experiences and perspectives regarding continuous cover forestry were highly varied.
24 March 2023 - Teagasc Daily article published titled: “Transformation of Sitka spruce stands to continuous cover forestry”. This popular news release gave an update of ContinuFOR activities and highlighted that we are now searching for a third site to set up another CCF trial.
25 October 2022 - Dr Grace Jones presented a poster at Teagasc’s Talking Timber 2022 event in County Tipperary.
24 October 2022 – Dr John Devaney presented at the “Sustainability and Climate Action Research” event, Maynooth University.
10 October 2022 – Dr John Devaney presented at the event: “Autumn School on Forests for Health” at Maynooth University.
14 August 2022 - Dr Grace Jones, Teagasc attended the Tullamore Show.
8 July 2022 - Dr Ian Short, Teagasc was invited to attend the National CCF Training Steering Group meeting at the Midway Maldron Hotel in Portlaoise.
5 July 2022 - Dr Ian Short, Teagasc presented in Caherconlish, Co Limerick, at the Teagasc Continuous Cover Forestry Event.
20-22 June 2022 - Laura Harris, Maynooth University presented a poster at the Environ 2022 conference in Belfast.
