Please see a comprehensive list of of current forestry courses and woodland management training available in Ireland. The main reason for compiling this database is to provide a comprehensive, centralized resource that informs potential forestry students, woodland managers, landowners, conservationists and professionals of what exists currently in Ireland. Woodlands of Ireland will continue to update this list with courses and training related to native woodlands in Ireland. Please also see the Woodlands of Ireland Calendar which features talks, webinars, short training courses, workshops and open days from non governmental environmental organisations, private companies and government departments.
Courses in the European Framework of Qualifications
Post Leaving Certificate Training
Certificate in Forestry (5M3425)
Level: NFQ level 5
Award: Certificate
Duration: 1 year (26 weeks full-time course work, eight weeks Practical Learning Period)
Credits: 120
Delivery: Fulltime
Location: Teagasc, Ballyhaise, Co Cavan
Progression: Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Forestry (6M4337)
Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Forestry (6M4337)
Level: NFQ level 6
Award: Advanced Certificate
Duration: 1 year
Credits: 120
Delivery: Fulltime
Location: Teagasc, Ballyhaise, Co Cavan
Progression: Level 7 Bachelor Degree in Forestry – SETU Advanced entry YEAR 2
National Apprenticeship in Arboriculture
Galway and Roscommon
Education and Training Board (GRETB),
Mervue Business Park,
Monivea Road, Galway.
091 706283
Third Level Forestry Training Courses – to Level 8
Forestry (SE505)
Level: NFQ level 7
Award: Bachelor of Science
Duration: 3 years
Credits: 180
Delivery: Fulltime
Location: SETU, Waterford
Land Management in Forestry (SE523)
Level: NFQ level 8
Award: Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Duration: 1 year
Credits: 60
Delivery: Fulltime
Location: SETU, Waterford
Agroforestry and Landscape Biodiversity (SE52B)
Level: NFQ level 9
Award: Certificate
Duration: 12 weeks
Credits: 10
Delivery: Blended
Location: SETU, Waterford/Online
Forestry (FOS1)
Level: NFQ level 8
Award: Bachelor of Agricultural Science
Duration: 4 years
Credits: 240
Delivery: Blended
Location: UCD, Dublin/Online
Advanced Wood and Sustainable Building Technology
Bachelor of Science
CAO Code AU837
Level 7
Duration 3 Years
CAO Points 225 (2024)
Method of Delivery On-campus
Campus Locations ATU Sligo
Mode of Delivery Full Time
Work placement Yes
Agriculture and Environmental Management
Bachelor of Science Year 3 mandatory module: Forest and Woodland Management
CAO Code AU557
Level 7
Duration 3 Years
CAO Points 269 (2024)
Method of Delivery On-campus
Campus Locations ATU Mountbellew
Mode of Delivery Full Time
Work placement Yes
https://www.atu.ie/courses/bachelor-of-science-agriculture-and-environmental-management
Agriculture and Environmental Management
Bachelor of Science (Honours) Year 3 module: Forest and Woodland Management
CAO Code AU657
Level 8
Duration 4 Years
CAO Points 311 (2024)
Method of Delivery On-campus
Campus Locations ATU Mountbellew
Mode of Delivery Full Time
Work placement Yes
https://www.atu.ie/courses/bachelor-of-science-honours-agriculture-and-environmental-management
Furniture Making and Architectural Woodworking
Bachelor of Science (Honours) Year 1 module Materials and Techniques
CAO Code AU682
Level 8
Duration 4 Years
CAO Points 403 (2024)
Method of Delivery On-campus
Campus Locations ATU Connemara (Letterfrack Campus)
Mode of Delivery Full Time
Work placement Yes
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Wildlife Biology – various modules of past and present relate to Native Woodland knowledge such as those on soils, ecology, habitat studies, land use management and biodiversity conservation.
Programme Code: TL_SWILD_B Award Level: 08
Total Credits: 240 Total Stages: 4
Award Type: Honours Bachelor Degree CAO CODE: MT880
Location: MTU Tralee Campus
There are also some related courses described at https://www.mtu.ie/courses/mt880/
TU838 Sustainable Timber Technology
The TU Dublin School of Architecture, Building and Environment TU838 BSc (Hons) Sustainable Timber Technology programme includes structured industry placement in the second semester of Year 3. The first Year 3 students will be (work) placed in 2024.
TUD: There are a range of Biodiversity, Ecology and Horticultural Sustainability Studies available through TUD campuses which include Special Purpose Award: Sustainable Horticulture at the Blanchardstown Campus
or elements on tree cover in single module certificates such as
Trees and Woodlands (HTSC H3018) ,
Ecology and Biodiversity (HTSC H2028)
Plant Identification – Use and Management (HTSC H1025)
Plant Identification and Classification (HTSC H1013)
University of Galway Civil Engineering modules
CE222: Materials and Design
Engineering properties of timber and engineered wood products; Laboratory testing of timber.
Semester 2 | Credits: 5
CE227 Strength of Materials
10 credits
CE5102: Timber Engineering and Design of Timber Structures
Semester 2 | Credits: 5
Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science)
Includes modules in year 3 on Nature Conservation and Habitat Management, Field Course with Environmental Skills, Habitat Management Planning, Legislation for Environmental Scientists
College of Science and Engineering
CAO Code: GY308
UCC BSc (Hons) Applied Plant Biology
https://ucc-ie-public.courseleaf.com/programmes/bscr/
BSc (Hons) Ecology and Environmental Biology
https://ucc-ie-public.courseleaf.com/programmes/bscreb/
Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture
Horticultural Apprenticeship Programme
Applicants must be directly employed by a SOLAS approved Employer
2 days off-the-job every second week generally
Duration: Two years
Certification: Higher Certificate in Horticulture
Location: National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin
BSc in Horticulture (Kildalton College):
https://www.setu.ie/courses/bsc-in-horticulture-kildalton-college
Further Education (FE) Colleges in Northern Ireland
Northern Regional College, South Eastern Regional College and Southern Regional
College all offer a Horticulture Apprenticeship which will have tree related modules in them.
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/further-education-fe-colleges
Level 3 City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in in Horticulture
Tree related modules include: Nursery stock management, Plant and soil science, Plant health, Plant identification and planting, Plant propagation, Tree and shrub maintenance
Location: College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise CAFRE Greenmount Campus, Co. Antrim
Sample Masters and PhD opportunities
The ecological implications of alternative deer management strategies
Funded PhD opportunity, Life and Health Sciences
Full-time and Part-time at Ulster University
https://www.ulster.ac.uk/doctoralcollege/find-a-phd/14-geography-and-environmental-studies/1681020
University of Limerick
Trinity College Environmental Sciences
Closer-To-Nature Forest Management: closing date 17th December 2024
Post-doctoral Research Fellow Level 2 within UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science.
https://universityvacancies.com/university-college-dublin/post-doc-research-fellow-lvl-2-ucd-1-year
https://my.corehr.com/pls/ucdrecruit/erq_jobspec_version_4.display_form
Microcreds
An example of a Micro Credential Course at TUD is
Biodiversity and Nature Conservation. Course Code TU347
ECTS 5 Level 9
Award: Single Module CPD Certificate
Duration: 1 Week
Course Type: Micro-credentials
Mode of Study: Part Time
Method of Delivery :On-Campus
Commencement Date: June 2024
Location: Bolton Street
For a description of what Micro Credits are, see: https://www.iua.ie/ourwork/learning-teaching/microcreds/
Many Environmental Science and Biodiversity Courses include varying degrees of reference to tree cover including pre-university courses such as QQI Level 5 Award in Applied Ecology 5M5028 at Cathal Brugha Further Education and Training Campus: https://www.cathalbrughafet.ie/pre-uni-environmental-biodiversity Duration: 1 year
The course description in the link above conveniently lists a range of courses students could progress towards.
Short Forestry and Woodland Management Training
There are shorter courses in forestry and woodland management run by training companies and environmental NGO’s. We have listed some of the certification available here:
Native Woodland Conservation Scheme Training: (see image 1 above)
The Native Woodland Conservation (NWC) Scheme training course is targeted at training those directly involved in working with the scheme, including foresters, ecologists, landowners, Forest Service personnel, National Parks & Wildlife Service, Coillte, Teagasc etc. It offers a basic introduction by experts to native woodland ecology and management. The courses are run as part of the joint Forest Service/ Woodlands of Ireland Programme in conjunction with the NPWS. Further information is available at the Woodlands of Ireland website: https://www.woodlandsofireland.com/native-woodland-scheme-training/
For a selection of short courses also see Education and Training at https://www.forestry.ie/directory
College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)
Introduction to Farm Woodland-Timber End Uses 1 half day
Introduction to Farm Woodland-Timber End Uses 2 half day
Course location: Balcas, 75 Killadeas Road,Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh,
Northern Ireland, BT94 2ES
Key Contact: Henry Shaw Course Manager Henry.Shaw@daera-ni.gov.uk
https://www.cafre.ac.uk/business-courses/introduction-to-farm-woodland-timber-end-uses-2/
Introduction to farm woodland – tree thinning full day
Location: Clarke Cunningham’s Timber Yard,10 Ballytrim Road, Killyleagh,
Co. Down, BT30 9TH
https://www.cafre.ac.uk/business-courses/introduction-to-farm-woodland-tree-thinning/
Hedge Laying courses hosted by CAFRE
https://www.cafre.ac.uk/business-courses/hedge-laying/
NPTC City and Guilds Courses
NPTC City & Guilds Chainsaw Safety modules https://www.nptc.org.uk/qualificationschemedetail.aspx?id=352
Basic Chainsaw Courses
Maintenance and Crosscutting Unit 201 & 202 – City & Guilds (NPTC)
*This is a basic level chainsaw course that does not include felling.
Candidates will learn the skill of Saw Maintenance and Crosscutting timber under tension and compression.
Course Elements:
Hazard Identification Risk Assessment
Health and Safety Legislation & PPE
Maintenance of a Chainsaw
Crosscutting under tension and Compression
Ground Course
Units 3920 & 3921, (formally CS30 and CS31)
Chainsaw Maintenance, Crosscutting Timber, Felling & Process Trees up to 380mm diameter using a Chainsaw
MAINTENANCE, CROSS CUTTING & FELLING
(formally known as CS30 & 31)
Max participants: 4
Duration: 5 Days
Cost: c.€1100 per person, incl. Assessment
FELLING TREES OVER 380mm
This course leads to NPTC unit 301
Max participants:4
Duration: 3 days
Cost: c.€950 per person incl. Assessment
ASSISTED FELLING
This course leads to NPTC unit 303
Max Participants: 4
Duration: 2 day
Cost: c.€550 per person, incl. Assessment
Pole Saw / Pruner Training
Examples of chain saw safety course providers:
https://www.frstraining.com/sectors/forestry-chainsaw/
https://www.arbortec.info/course-dates-2/
https://www.davidlawtreecare.ie/ground-course/
https://www.forumconnemara.ie/dulra via Forum Connemara also provide access to certified safe pesticide use training for community projects on Rhododendron clearance. The provision of training through Dúlra is supported by the NPWS.
More courses with various levels of Ecology and Horticulture focus in the screengrab below from https://www.fetchcourses.ie