Award winning forest is growing farm viability for Andrew - and others like him

ANDREW O’CARROLL’S land use change in 2005 is paying dividends. His resultant farm forest is ‘jumping out of the ground’ and represents excellent use of difficult land.

Forestry premiums allow Andrew to lease in better ground which is greatly helping the day to day running of his suckling enterprise. Andrew’s decision was recently recognised as the Kilkenny based drystock farmer became the inaugural winner of the Teagasc Farm Forestry Award category at the RDS Awards.

Andrew’s decision addressed the challenges of farming heavy land with a short grazing season. “Tractors have got stuck, animals have got stuck, one would be thinking in the springtime: when will I get out there”. His forestry pension pot, now age 14, is already ‘well ahead of schedule’ and he is planning first thinning next year. According to Teagasc drystock advisor Terry Carroll “Andrew made that decision with his family and it has proven to be the absolute best decision. His selected combination of suckler cows, GLAS and forestry are complementing each other”.

You can hear Andrew’s story as a featured video at www. teagasc.ie.

COULD YOUR FOREST BE A WINNER?

Andrew received a €2000 prize for his exemplar farm forestry approach.

The RDS Forestry and Woodland Awards reward good woodland management consistent with protecting and enhancing the environment.

With four award categories and a prize fund of €12,000, all woodlands, large and small may be considered.

The Teagasc Farm Forestry Award promotes the positive sustainable contribution of forestry as an integral farm enterprise.

The category is open for farm forests with a minimum area of 4 hectares, between 5 and 15 years of age, which is being managed in conjunction with a working farm where the farmer is actively involved in forest management.

The deadline for entries is Monday, 16 July, 2018.

Further information is available through the RDS/ Teagasc websites and from Teagasc Forestry Staff.