Ireland's first Festival of Forestry to be held on Kilkenny border

Ireland’s Woodland Show, the first of its kind in Ireland will be held on October 4 and 5.

The show aims to celebrate the benefits of Irish trees and woodlands through woodland talks, information stands, machinery, equipment, demonstrations, artisan craft and food stands, family activities and music.

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The event is being facilitated by the OPW this year in the very beautiful JFK Arboretum, New Ross, Co. Wexford and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Wexford County Council.

The Arboretum covers a massive 252 hectares on Slieve Coillte and contains 4,500 types of trees and shrubs from all temperate regions of the world including almost 200 research forest plots grouped by continent, and an area dedicated to the new International Conifer Conservation Programme.

The tented village will feature an event tent with talks each day and technical information stands on forest establishment supports, forest research, afforestation options, timber sales, health and safety, habitat considerations, heritage sites and education.

The tented village will also include added value timber products, forest enterprises, crafts, artists, and a wide range of food stands.

Outdoor trade stands will include Komatsu, John Deere and Ponsse harvesters and forwarders. The new Komatsu Forest Harvester 951XC from McHale Plant Sales Ltd. is the first eight-wheel machine of this size to be launched into the forestry world and really suits Irish conditions where our forestry contractors have very challenging conditions.

John Deere will be bringing their 1270H, acclaimed as the benchmark for harvesters.

The highlights of the Ponsse machines is the operator's comfort, machine handling and, of course, excellent visibility that is characteristic to Ponsse harvesters.

Family Activities scheduled over the two days include: Arboretum walks, Forest School activities, scavenger hunt, storytelling, face painting and Animation Masterclass with Paul Bolger, animator, writer (All Dogs Go To Heaven, Land Before Time, Hound, The Children of Lir).

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The show’s headlining event, Celtic Chainsaw Carvers, will see international and national carvers creating some magnificent pieces, some of which will be auctioned each day in aid of the Lifeboats.

This will be Ireland’s first-time hosting of an International Carving event facilitated by Special Branch Carvers (A Cut Above TV Series and Waterford Viking Triangle, the Waterford Greenway).
For further information: irelandswoodlandshow.com and facebook.com/IrelandsWoodlandShow