Pilot Native and Semi-Natural Woodland Operative Training Course:
Woodlands of Ireland received funding for a pilot operative skills training course on Native and Semi-Natural Woodland in 2025. Funding for the course is provided under the Open Call for Proposals for Forestry Skills Training 2025-2026 by the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The pilot course runs on a part-time basis from October 2025 to August 2026. The training, which is a mixture of ‘in forest’ and classroom tutorials plus work experience, mainly at Enniscoe House woodland and at Laughtavary woodland, covers a broad range of woodland topics for trainees to learn more about working in the area of native woodland conservation and management. Supporter members of Woodlands of Ireland have an opportunity to attend certain modules of the course in order to further develop their practical native woodland management skills. Please see a synopsis below on the March module on the topics of Tree Planting Techniques, Tools, Plant Handling and Storage, which was held on Tuesday, March 10th, and Wednesday, March 11th during National Tree Week 2026 (March 8th – 15th) at Enniscoe House, Co. Mayo. Last month’s module was an Introduction to Coppice Silviculture.
Tree Planting Techniques, Tools, Plant Handling and Storage Module:
Trainees on the course and Woodlands of Ireland supporter members learned about tree planting situations and putting the right trees in the right place, with the weather being quite challenging. The days included practical demonstrations and workshops on hedge planting on a bank (which was dug at a previous module on tree protection and boundary maintenance), Parkland tree restock – stock protection options were assessed and restocking after tree felling.
Hedge planting on a bank:
Parkland tree restock:
Restocking after tree felling:
Upcoming Modules:
If you are interested in attending future modules on the native and semi-natural woodland training course as a Woodlands of Ireland Supporter Member, please join us as a supporter member and email info@woodlandsofireland.com to register your interest in attending. For upcoming events by Woodlands of Ireland, check Our Events section and for other woodland workshops, training, webinars, walks and talks by other organisations, check out our curated Native Woodland Event Calendar. The next module on the “Native and semi-natural woodland operative skills pilot” training course will be in May, with details announced soon.
Funding for this course is provided under the Open Call for Proposals for Forestry Skills Training 2025-2026 by the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine