Two Laois woodlands shortlisted for coveted awards
Mountmellick and Mountrath woodland owners being recognised for their work
Two Laois woodlands have been shortlisted in the RDS Forestry Awards which recognise and reward farmers and woodland owners.
John Joe Dunne from Mountmellick, and Worrell Harvesting, Mountrath have been shortlisted in the Silvicultural Excellence Category, which aims to recognise excellence in the management of a forest (broadleaf, conifer, mixed or coppice) where timber production is the main management objective.
John Joe Dunne - in Graigue, Mountmellick, John Joe has been diligently developing the woodland to enhance the sustainability of his farm. He believes the maturing forest will provide financial, social and environmental benefits for future generations of his family.
Kenneth Worrell & Eoin Worrell - Worrell Harvesting Ltd is a family-run business with 20 years experience in the forestry industry. Their forest at Cloncourse, Mountrath, Laois comprises of a large block of timber planted at different intervals over a number of years. This site is an excellent example of the benefits of using Specified Biomass Harvesting as a method of harvesting.
The awards will take place on Thursday 10th April as part of the ‘Finding Common Ground’ festival in the RDS in Dublin.
The ‘Finding Common Ground’ festival, which takes place over two days in the RDS in Ballsbridge, is being delivered as one of the RDS Foundation social impact programmes. It will bring together scientists, researchers, policymakers, industry professionals, practitioners, advocates and RDS Members to explore how Ireland can harness the benefits of our natural resources and the circular economy with a view to creating increased awareness, education and identification of solutions. A series of talks and panel discussions will focus on the latest advancements and challenges in areas such as land use, forestry and the bioeconomy. The broad programme will also explore topics such as decarbonising construction, how to use the arts to engage with environmental societal change and primary science education.
The full programme for the event will be announced in mid-March.