Teagasc and the Forest Service invite you to a National Demonstration of tending and thinning of broadleaf woodlands in Co Kerry on Thursday 19 April, 2012. This event will be of major interest to all broadleaf woodland owners, and particularly important for those with plantations at or near the age of first thinning. The event will also be beneficial to owners in general who want to envisage how their woodlands will develop. 
The following will be demonstrated and discussed on the day:
The demonstration will include a special focus on end uses from timber harvested from tending and thinning operations.
Over the past decade, there has been a continuous increase in the proportion of broadleaf forests being planted, with over 9,000 hectares of broadleaf species established in Counties Kerry, Cork and Limerick alone since 2000. Tending and thinning are essential operations in broadleaf crops in order to provide growing space for the future crop trees. Timing is critical. It is vital that the first intervention to remove less favoured, competing trees is made at the appropriate time to ensure the development of future crop trees is not adversely affected.
In a well managed woodland at the end of a rotation, there should be approximately 200 broadleaf trees per hectares. The remaining trees will have been removed as thinnings. In other words, 85% of all trees or 50% of the volume in broadleaf woodland can and should be removed in thinnings over the commercial life of the crop. Many broadleaf plantations are now approaching or are ready for thinning. It is vital that owners have the awareness and knowledge to commence this vital operation at the appropriate time in an appropriate manner. Timber harvested from these woodlands can provide a valuable source of fuel as well as other products as the crop develops.
The event will open with a discussion on the optimum time to commence tending and first thinning of Ash and the associated important issues to be considered at the time, e.g. felling licences, harvesting grants, forest roads etc. This will be followed by a practical demonstration of the tending of Ash. Participants will be shown the process of marking the trees for tending with identification of potential final crop trees and subsequent marking of stems to be removed including competitors, wolves and diseased stems. The session will conclude with a visit to a plot that has recently been tended.
The demonstration will also include firewood processing, use of brash for material for production of kindling and furniture production from home grown broadleaf timber.
Thinning your plantation is an essential investment for the future of your crop. This is a great opportunity to acquire the know-how to get the job done. The event is free and promises to be a very informative day.
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