Work-in-progress

Issues and tasks which are being addressed currently include training for all involved in the implementation of the Native Woodland scheme, encouraging the supply of native trees and shrubs for planting and the development of guidelines pertaining to appropriate silvicultural management systems. Management of native woodlands for limited sustainable wood production has in recent years become an issue, especially with the advent of the Forest Service Native Woodland Scheme. A project to devise silvicultural guidelines based on 6 case studies inclusive of sessile oak, pedunculate oak, ash, birch, alder and hazel has recently been published (see 'Events'). Publication of the Proceedings of 'Ireland's Native Woodlands' conference held in GMIT, Galway in 2004 were published in 2005 (see 'Events'). Other initiatives that Woodlands of Ireland are engaged in currently are ensuring that the Native Woodland Scheme can compete with other related schemes, especially REPS, technical input to guidelines on ecologically appropriate roadside tree/woodland plantings via the National Roads Authority (see http://www.nra.ie/PublicationsResources/DownloadableDocumentation/Environment/file,2116,en.pdf on the National Roads Authority website (see 'Links') and the Irish Forest Certification Initiative (see 'Links'). Declan Little is the current Secretary of Irish Forestry Certification Initiative Ltd. (IFCI Ltd.), the company established to develop an agreed Forest Stweardship Council (FSC - see 'Links) approved forest standard for Ireland. In the last three years considerable progress has been made in the forest certification process. This is reflected in the recent accreditation of IFCI Ltd. by FSC International. All 10 FSC Principles and associated criteria have been reviewed by the IFCI Technical Working Group, which is comprised of representatives from the constituent chambers of IFCI. The next step is to go to public consultation with the revised draft standard once it is ratified by the Steering Committee. This is expected to take place in the autumn of 2006.


A report was sent to FSC last October documenting all the changes made in IFCI in recent years in an effort to seek official accreditation. FSC responded last March that they were happy with progress to date but requested that IFCI adopt a 3 chamber structure and engage fully with stakeholders currently outside the process. An EGM held in May 2005 agreed unanimously to accept the recommendations of FSC and subsequently attempts were made to engage with stakeholders currently not involved in the process. Stakeholders are encouraged to attend the AGM (see ‘Events’) and become members of IFCI.