The Wicklow Field trip at Cloragh Farm

Time: April 24, 2010 from 11am to 4pm
Location: Nun’s Cross, Ashford, Co. Wicklow

With expert input from: Dr Jurij Diaci, Director of the Slovenian Forest Service, Chairman of Pro Silva Slovenia & Head of Silviculture at the Slovenian Department of Forestry. Prof. Dr. Jurgen Huss is well known to Irish forestry as an external examiner in UCD and through regular silvicultural assignments in Ireland. He is also co- author of the COFORD publication “Growing Broadleaves: Silvicultural Guidelines for Ash, Sycamore, Wild Cherry, Beech and Oak in Ireland”. In Germany, amongst many silvicultural appointments, he was Professor of Silviculture at University of Freiburg.

Cloragh Farm Forest

Cloragh farm has just under 200 hectares of forestry. There is a large range of forest types, including native woodland in the Devil's Glen National Heritage Area and commercially operated mixed woodlands of Douglas fir, spruce, other broadleaves & conifers. There are also a number of new grant aided plantations. There is a long history of active forest management on the property and the woods are currently being transformed to continuous cover using close to nature management systems. There has been an annual programme of progressive transformative thinnings across the farm over the last approximately 10 years. This transformation is now at a critical stage as natural regeneration starts to occur and must find its way through competing vegetation and past herds of sika and fallow deer. In the meantime the stability and profitability of all stands must be maintained.

Directions
Cloragh Farm is located near the village of Ashford, just off the N11 in Co. Wicklow. From Ashford Village take the Roundwood road and follow the Pro Silva signs from there.

As usual with Pro Silva Ireland field days, a voluntary collection of €20 will be sought from attendees to help cover the cost of our guests from Slovenia & Germany.

We are very grateful to Geoffrey and Lucy Tottenham and family for hosting us on their farm.

Pro Silva Ireland last visited this property at a workshop in 2001.

Lecture by Jurij Diaci (Slovenia), Leading European authority in Close-to-Nature Forest Management

Time: April 23, 2010 from 7:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Parkview Hotel
Organized By: Paddy Purser

Event Description:
'Foresters who introduced principles of close-to-nature management centuries ago, when nature was not considered endangered, were indeed farsighted and brave in their pioneering efforts.'

So says Dr. Jurij Diaci, Director of the Slovenian Forest Service, in his introduction in the excellent little booklet "Forest Management by Mimicking Nature, - How to conserve forests by using them" published by the Slovenian Forest Service. He goes on to say 'Well preserved and biologically diverse Slovenian forests are the pride of Slovenian forestry as well as a challenge to foresters to continue a good work of their predecessors.'

And what predecessors the Slovenian foresters have, including Prof. Dr. Dusan Mlinsek who was a founding member and in many ways the inspiration for Pro Silva Europe, which was founded twenty years ago in Slovenia.

It is from this background that Prof. Dr. Jurjj Diaci comes and Pro Silva Ireland are indeed fortunate that Dr. Diaci has accepted our invitation to speak to us on 23rd April, the evening before our forest visit to Cloragh Farm, Co. Wicklow.

Dr. Diaci is current Chairman of Pro Silva Slovenia and is Head of Chair for Silviculture for the Slovenian Department for Forestry. He was an adviser for sustainable, close-to-nature forestry for the Ministry for Environment during the Slovenian presidency of the EU and he has recently edited the publication, 'Nature based Forestry in Central Europe - Alternatives to Industrial Forestry and Strict Preservation'.

While giving a broad outline of the reasons that Close-to-Nature Silviculture is practiced in all Slovenian forests, Dr. Diaci will concentrate on the Economics of Close-to-Nature forestry. For those interested in learning more about how to sustainably manage forests for profit, this is an essential event.

The Parkview Hotel is on the main street in Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow, which is signposted from and just off the N11.

There is no charge for attendance at this event.

Pro Silva Ireland trip to Hungary

Below are the details of the trip to Hungary in June. If you would like to come then please send a booking deposit of €50 to Pro Silva Ireland, 36 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2 and book your flights.

The recommended flights for this trip are as follows:
Ryanair: Thursday 24th June, Leave Dublin 16.00, Arrive Budapest 20.00 Sunday 27th June, Leave Budapest 20.25, Arrive Dublin 22.25

OR Aer Lingus: Thursday 24th June, Leave Dublin 15.45, Arrive Budapest 19.40
Sunday 27th June, Leave Budapest 20.35, Arrive Dublin 22.40

Thursday June 24th:
Arrival and travel to the accommodation in Pilis. Dinner and discussions

Friday June 25th:
Breakfast, then driving to the forest, 8-15 h Continuous cover forestry in Pilis Park Forestry Company
• the problem of traditional forestry (age class forestry method)
• Pro Silva demonstration area in mature beech-oak stand (selection)
• Pilis-tető (2000 ha) transition into selection forest in a great scale
15-18 h: Tourist program of either
•
18 h
Citadel of Visegrád (http://www.visegrad.hu/muemlekek-muzeumok-1)
or Skanzen in Szentendre (http://skanzen.hu/index.php?fm=1) Back to the accommodation, dinner then workshops

Saturday June 26th:
Continuous cover forestry in Ipoly Forest Company In Morning breakfast, then leaving the accommodation,
• Transition in beech and oak forest with gap-cutting system
• New accommodation: near to Eger

Sunday June 27th:
Bükk National Park 8-13 h Program in the National Park with lunch 13 h Back to Budapest, brief sight-seeing tour in Budapest then to Airport

As per usual on Pro Silva Trips, everyone pays their own way – accommodation and food. Accommodation is modest and never expensive.

Pro Silva Ireland are most grateful to Pro Silva Hungary for their assistance and generosity in organizing this trip.

Group photo taken on the Haute Savoie study tour in September 2007

To read reports on previous fieldtrips go to articles