Visit a Pioneering Irish CCF Woodland

Pro Silva Spring Field Day Saturday 23rd April at Cloragh, Ashford, Co. Wicklow

One of Ireland’s pioneering CCF woodlands welcomes visitors this April for Pro Silva Ireland’s annual spring field day. Cloragh Forest is an extensive private woodland of mixed stands that have been managed under a full and committed Continuous Cover Forestry practice for the past 17 years. Cloragh is one of the more advanced CCF forests in Ireland and demonstrates good progression of regeneration and stand transformation. Cloragh is owned by Lucy Tottenham and managed by current Pro Silva Ireland chairperson Liam Byrne, and was the site of our 2010 spring field day.  This field day will largely retrace the route taken on that day to see the progression of CCF management, 12 years on.

Cloragh forest contains a wide range of stand types, including native oak woodland in the Devils Glen NHA and commercially managed conifer dominated woodlands of Douglas fir and spruce.  All woods are managed under CCF and we will be discussing the management techniques and interventions used including marking, tending, thinning, access development, deer management, retention and patience!  The implementation of CCF at Cloragh has led to other commercial benefits such as its frequent use by the locally important film industry.  Most of all, on the day, we will be enjoying spending time in this wonderful forest with friends and colleagues!

Participants are asked to arrive between 10.30 and 10.45am.  There will be a transfer to the starting point so late arrivals risk missing this transfer.  We will be on foot for the day for an easy walk in the forest.  Please bring a packed lunch in a bag that can be carried for the day, along with suitable clothing and footwear. Approximate finish time 4pm.

The meeting point is here: https://goo.gl/maps/WCEhDoPuiQQywo2R7 or use EIRCODE  A67PO38

Follow the usual Pro Silva Ireland Event Signs.

Pro Silva Ireland are very grateful to Lucy Tottenham and her family for hosting the day.