The Woodlands of Ireland Conference 2024, was held from Tuesday, October 1st, to Thursday, October 3rd, 2024, at the International Scouting Centre, Castle Saunderson, Co. Cavan. The first day started with a field trip Crom Estate, Co. Fermanagh through the Ancient Oak and Yew Woodland and the conference closed with a field trip to Annagh Lough Woodland, just outside Ballyconnell in Co. Cavan. We would like to say a massive thank you to many people involved especially the speakers and the delegates as your participation made the event successful. Presentations from the conference are available to download in PDF format below under the three conference themes, if you require higher quality, please email info@woodlandsofireland.com with your request. Click the highlighted text to start the download. Presentations were also recorded and will be edited for upload into 2025. Click to view conference proceedings for 2004 and 2018 native woodland conferences.
Theme 1: Ancient Woodland on the island of Ireland – distribution and condition
A range of speakers explored what’s left, where it is, whose responsible for its conservation/expansion and what support is available. Presentations include DAFM, NIEA, NPWS, Woodland Trust NI and the All Island Ancient Woodland Project.
- “Mapping, monitoring, and protecting Ireland’s Ancient Woodlands” – John Devaney, Ancient Woodlands Ireland project (NUI Maynooth)
- “Exploiting the historic Ordnance Survey maps to identify long-established woodlands” – Jesko Zimmermann, Ancient Woodlands Ireland project (Teagasc)
- “Tracing Ancient Woodlands through the archives surveys and maps of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries” – Annaleigh Margey, Ancient Woodlands Ireland project (Dundalk IT)
- “Extending the ancient in our understanding of ancient woodlands time and ecological dynamics” – Helen Shaw, Ancient Woodlands Ireland project (NUI Maynooth)
- “Mapping the past, restoring the Future” – Paul Armstrong (Woodland Trust Northern Ireland)
- “Scientific research and restoration planning for woodland habitats” – Jenni Roche (National Parks and Wildlife Service)
- “Native Woodlands – Funding Opportunities under the Forestry Programme 2023-2027″ – Kevin Collins (Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
- “The condition of protected woodlands in Northern Ireland; threats and pressures” – Bobbie Hamill
Theme 2: Protective Tree Cover in catchments
The benefits of tree cover in relation to water quality and protecting other habitats and species, including the limits to those benefits, was discussed from a variety of perspectives. Presentations include LAWPRO, IFI, DAFM, NI Water, An Taisce, Uisce Éireann and more.
- “An introduction to the work of the Local Authority Waters Programme and the use of functional planting to protect, restore and enhance our waters” – Jimmy McVeigh (Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO))
- “Riparian Woodlands and River Habitat Conservation – The Potential for Protective tree cover in Ireland” – Declan Cooke (Inland Fisheries Ireland)
- “From Pasture to Protection – Ireland’s Farms 1975-2024: the role of Agroforestry in Transforming Farms for the Climate Crisis” – Maureen Kilgore (Irish Agroforestry Forum)
- “Forestry and Water – From Pressures to Measures” – Andrew Kirwan (Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
- “Biodiversity and Native Woodland Programme” – David Fallon (Uisce Éireann)
- “Trees & Water Quality – The Sustainable Catchment Based Approach” – Roy Taylor (Northern Ireland Water)
- “A National Woodland Network” – Roy Spence (Independent)
Theme 3: Community Involvement in Forest Management
Examples are given about different community organisations from Ireland, Scotland, and Nepal engaged with the active management of woodland/forest from the nursery to the sawmill. Presentations include Community Woodland Association Scotland, Native Woodland Trust, Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation of Nepal and more.
- “Community Woodlands in Scotland” – Andy Rockall (Community Woodlands Association Scotland)
- “Native Woodland Trust: Ardan Wood, Longford Case Study” – Jeremy Casey (Native Woodland Trust)
- “Rathcoole Rewilded Woodlands Campaign” – Annie Flynn (Save Rathcoole Woodlands)
- “Hometree Charity” – Ray Ó Foghlú (Hometree)
- “Magilligan Tree Nursery – Justice for Native Woodland” – Aisling Gribbin (Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust)
- “Impact of Community Participation in Community Forestry, Nepal” – Bhupendra Yadav (Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation of Nepal)
Poster Presentations
The conference had some poster presentations on display in the timber utilisation area, please see the titles below.
- “Shake in Oak” by Dave Brickenden, Timberline
- “Preliminary Assessment” by Irish Uplands Forum – Link for more information – Website
- “Fireblight in Ireland: Bacterial Disease – Erwinia amylorova” by Hedgerows Ireland – Link for more information – Website
- ‘Adapting the National Habitat Network Framework for Nature Recovery in Northern Ireland’ by the Ulster Wildlife Trust – Link for more information – Website/Social Media
Timber Utilisation Exhibition
During the conference, a timber utilisation exhibition display was available to delegates to view and interact with. The exhibition showcased a seed to sawmill display featuring everything from native tree seed, seedling and saplings to handmade coppice products as well as unique handmade interactive games called the bemusement games. The exhibition was coordinated by Fuinseog Woodland Crafts.
For all upcoming events, training and other Woodlands of Ireland activities, you can find out more from our quarterly newsletter by subscribing HERE. You can also view our Calendar of Events detailing talks, walks, webinars, events, courses and training related to native woodlands for Ireland and Northern Ireland. The events are organised by other eNGO’s, government and private companies with some events organised by ourselves. We are maintaining the calendar of events to better inform those interested in learning, training and working to conserve and establish more native woodlands in Ireland. This conference was part funded by the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as a Forestry Promotion Project. Woodlands of Ireland’s core funders are the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Heritage Council and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.