Thursday 23rd May, meeting at Peacockes Hotel, Maam Cross, Co Galway at 10am or 3pm.

Western Forestry Co-operative are delighted to have secured funding from the Department of Agriculture, food and the Marine to run a Native Woodland Establishment Open Day on Thursday 23rd May, meeting at Peacockes Hotel, Maam Cross, Co Galway at 10am or 3pm.

The open day will give landowners a greater awareness of the native woodland establishment scheme, in particular the establishment of Pioneer Birch Woodland by seeing a recently established site in the Maam Valley, Co Galway. The establishment of this new Pioneer Birch Woodland is the first of its kind in Ireland. This site is an excellent example of native woodlands that can be established in sensitive environments to promote more broadleaf forests as well as outlining the economic benefit to the landowner in an annual premium payment, the environmental benefits from soil and water protection in to the receiving SAC salmonid stream, increasing the biodiversity through tree planting and sequestering carbon in perpetuity.  The best way to understand how a scheme works is to see a recently established site, to discuss what this involved with regard to land suitability, sensitive habitats, approval process, premium payments, site preparation and future management etc. The open day is open to all and free to attend. Local farmer and forest owner Michael Laffey will also attend and outline his objectives and plans for the woodland.

The site is located in a prominent position in the Maam Valley between the Maumturks and Maumtrasna Mountain complexes and will be a wonderful legacy for the locality for generations to come. As there is no parking at the site along a main road, there will be a bus provided from Peacocks Hotel in Maam Cross (15minute journey), the event starts at 10am and 3pm slot.  Please ring local Co-op forester Tony Lenighan on 087-2162075 if you would like to discuss or for more information.