The Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett, has welcomed the return of the Woodland Festival this weekend.
The woodland festival aims to foster a greater awareness of the benefits of trees and woodlands, to focus on woodland management and the amenity aspects of our woods as well as the use of wood in furniture, crafts, and building.
The day will include live woodland demonstrations in thinning, woodland improvement, sawmilling, timber tasks, wood chipping, beekeeping, chainsaw operators and carving, small-scale timber extraction, bushcraft skills, there will be woodland walks & talks, woodland games, information stands, wood products, food, crafts, family entertainment and much more. There will be something for everyone at the Woodland Festival 2022.
Speaking ahead of the event, Minister Hackett said, “I am really looking forward to attending the Woodland Festival 2022. It’s a great opportunity for those of us involved in forestry to showcase the benefits of forests for our climate, economy and society. This year’s programme is full of interesting forestry talks, walks and demonstrations; it’s also a great family day out with lots of activities for children.
Set on the grounds of Clonalis Estate, Castlerea, Co Roscommon the festival features a variety of activities including live demonstrations, a series of forest walks and talks, and a range of family entertainment. Entry to the festival is free of charge for all, it’s a non-ticketed event with a €10 car parking fee and is run by Western Forestry Co-op with funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine through the Woodland Support Funding Scheme. This year’s theme is “Come See the Wood from the Trees” and is a chance for the public and people who work in forestry to come together and celebrate our forests.
The festival builds on the success of the inaugural 2019 Woodland Festival which attracted 3,500 visitors. The aim of the festival is to raise awareness of the benefits of trees and woodlands, to encourage people to engage with trees, and to learn about the multifunctional benefits of forests.
Minister Hackett said, The new Forestry Programme will launch in January and will provide incentives for farmers and will provide farm families with the opportunity to increase and diversify their income streams. for farmers and landowners will launch in January.
The day will include live woodland demonstrations in thinning, woodland improvement, sawmilling, timber tasks, wood chipping, beekeeping, chainsaw operators and carving, small-scale timber extraction, bushcraft skills, there will be woodland walks & talks, woodland games, information stands, wood products, food, crafts, family entertainment and much more.
Minister Hackett said, “I hope people will leave the festival with a better understanding of forests; whether they be broadleaf or conifer, the benefits of both, the variety of both, the biodiversity of both, what it means to manage these woods, and what income they can generate. I am delighted to go to the Woodland Festival and would like to praise the work of Western Forestry Co-op.”
Western Forestry Co-op have been supported for the Woodland Festival through funding under theme 2 of the Woodland Support Funding Scheme ‘Supporting and Highlighting the benefits of woodlands, focussing on farmers, and/or community engagement and/or general wellness’.
