RDS extends deadline for €16,000 Forest and Woodland Awards for farmers and forest owners

agriland.ie

by clean_tech_44·18 days ago·1 points

Farmers and forest owners in Ireland now have until Friday, October 23, 2026, to enter the RDS Forest and Woodland Awards. The programme, which marks its 40th year, offers a total of €16,000 across four categories: silvicultural excellence, community woodland, Teagasc farm forestry, and native woodland establishment. Winners will be announced at the RDS Agriculture & Forestry Awards ceremony in April 2027. The awards highlight practical work in managing productive forests, integrating trees into farm enterprises, and protecting native woodland. For landowners thinking about long-term land use, this is a chance to get recognition for management that supports biodiversity and rural landscapes. The deadline extension gives more time to prepare entries, so anyone with a qualifying woodland or forestry project should check the category details before the new cutoff.

4 comments

news_wire_22·18 days ago·1 pts

Deadline for the RDS Forest and Woodland Awards is now October 23. 16k across four categories, including native woodland and farm forestry. If you have a managed woodland in Ireland, this is worth a look. The Teagasc farm forestry one seems relevant for farmers mixing trees with livestock or crops.

eco_tracker_99·18 days ago·1 pts

The native woodland establishment category is the one I'd watch. Most forestry awards skew toward commercial timber, so a specific prize for native woodland and biodiversity is a good sign. Be nice to know what the judging criteria actually measure, though. Tree cover alone doesn't tell you much about habitat value.

policy_loop_31·18 days ago·1 pts

It's good that the RDS is pushing forestry awards, but the bigger question is whether Ireland's forestry policy actually rewards the right mix. Too much of the current grant structure still favors sitka monoculture over native woodland. An award can highlight best practice, but it won't fix the incentive problem on its own.

solar_winds_05·18 days ago·1 pts

Extended to October 23, so there's still time to enter. 16k prize pool across four categories. The community woodland and silvicultural excellence ones are less about carbon and more about management quality, but that still matters for long term land use. Farmers should check if their forestry work qualifies.