Forestry Now

End of Season One Overview! Two things on the agenda today - firstly a short bit of housekeeping about the summer break. And secondly for those who are brand new or recent listeners this podcast includes a brief overview of big takeaways since I launched the show. Firstly the housekeeping -  just to say that there’ll be no new episodes of the podcast until September 2026. This will give me a chanc...

Today I speak with Eeva-Liisa Heinaro from Finland. She spent decades working in the paper industry before moving into Carbon Lab (as COO) who help businesses manage and monetize carbon sequestration and ecological compensation projects. Carbon Lab are very well placed to deliver this service because they are a subsidiary of Conifer Consulting who manage more than 135,000 hectares of Finnish fores...

Today I speak to Douglas MacMillan who shares his analysis and criticisms of the current forestry model in Scotland - Douglas worked in the industry in the 1980's before moving into research related to forestry and sustainable land use systems. In this conversation Douglas explains the historical background to afforestation in Scotland, current ownership, species selection, management techniques a...

Today I speak with Kathleen Lucey who works with the Irish Forest Owners. The IFO support and represent forest owners across Ireland through a vibrant producer group network. In this interview we focus on Kathleen's role as Group Certification Manager at the IFO. We discuss the background to getting a forest certified under FSC and PEFC, the benefits, the costs, the ongoing management requirements...

Today I speak with Kenny McCauley from McCauley Wood Fuels Ltd who are based near Mohill in Co Leitrim. The business processes around 500 tonnes of wood biomass weekly to create high quality, moisture controlled wood chip. In this conversation Kenny explains how his business works, how biomass forms a vital cog in the Irish forestry supply chain, how wood chip is replacing fossil fuels across Irel...

In this conversation I speak with Joe Gowran from Woodlands of Ireland about our native forests - Joe has a deep understanding of the history, ecology and management of these woodlands and so we touch on all of this. We discuss positive initiatives to expand and protect these woodlands as well as regulatory hurdles and contradictions that are preventing more progress. Lastly Joe gives me an overvi...

"I'd die for this piece of land. It’s ingrained in me so much. My DNA, our fields have all names and stories." Ireland is trying to increase it's forest cover from 12% but Irish farmers are very reluctant to plant their land. To understand why I speak with Dr. Laqiqige Zhu (Zhula) from Trinity College Dublin. She shares key findings from her extensive research into why Irish farmers hesitate to co...

In this episode, I speak with forestry engineer and analyst Peter Hasulyó about one of the sector’s biggest blind spots: communication. Despite decades of progress in sustainable forest management, the forestry industry has struggled to win public trust. Peter explains how a lack of proactive storytelling allowed others to shape the narrative—often inaccurately—leading to confusion between sustain...

Today I speak with Andy Dunne. Andy's an agricultural consultant based in Portlaoise, Ireland. He's also a forest owner and a member of the Laois Offaly Farm Forestry Group. Andy explains how he manages his own forest and his experience working with adjoining forest owners using a Continuous Cover Forestry approach. Then we talk about his role as an Agricultural Consultant and his experience advis...

In this conversation, I speak with Ray Ó Foghlú - Ray is Development Lead at Hometree, a nature restoration charity with a strong focus on woodlands based in Co Clare, Ireland. We discuss the organization's role in landscape level projects such as the Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project and the Iveragh Woodland EIP (European Innovation Partnership) in Kerry. Ray discusses bureaucratic challenges in I...

In this podcast I speak to Brendan Guinan of Fiorbhia farm about what happened when he sold his hazardous waste business and transitioned into agroforestry. He explains his experience raising cattle, pigs and chickens in his neglected mixed species forest near Portlaoise, Ireland. We discuss the forest itself and his management approach, thinning the forest, creating paddocks and his system of rot...

I talk to John Sherlock (forest owner and member of the North East Forest Group) about how his search for a new revenue stream to integrate into his warehousing business led him to develop a thriving firewood processing enterprise. John explains how it works and how he scaled the business upwards while avoiding bottlenecks. John quickly recognised quality logs among the loads of "pulp" and "rescue...

Today I speak with John Sherlock. As well as managing a 49 acre forest, John and his wife Evelyn own Sherlogs Firewood and Craft Timber based outside Navan in Co Meath. The business supplies firewood in the midlands and also mills timber for resale as well as offering a bespoke timber manufacturing service. If that wasn't enough John is very active in the North East Forestry Group and in a new ini...

In this interview I speak with Alan McCabe who is the Manager at Glaslough Tyholland Group Water Scheme in North Co Monaghan. We briefly discuss how Alan manages his own forest and his role as Co Monaghan representative on the IFA Forestry Committee including challenges surrounding ESB corridors in existing forests. Then we discuss the River Blackwater Catchment Trust who have a project to remove...

In this podcast I speak to Seán Ó Conláin about planting a 15 acre broadleaf forest in 2004, buying an adjoining mature high yield class conifer plantation (planted 1987) and the risks he took converting this block to continuous cover forestry. Seán explains his background and inspiration, management techniques, thinning interventions, underplanting, windblow of standing timber, observations aroun...

The fall out from Storm Darragh and Eowyn has been monumental for the Irish Forestry Industry. To get an overview of this I speak with Victor Barber - Victor's a qualified forester who began his career with Western Forestry Co Op and is now their Harvesting Manager based out of Sligo. He also farms and is a regular contributor to the Farmers Journal on all things forestry. We speak about Storm Éoy...

In this interview I speak with Olive Leavy a forest owner from Co Westmeath who currently works with Pro Silva ireland. Olive has chosen to manage her forest using the continuous cover forestry method and in this interview we cover all aspects of this including windblow, ash dieback, challenges with harvesting, getting to know your forest, a firewood business, how forestry has enabled her to remai...

Today I spoke with Paul Lafferty. Paul qualified as a forester in 1989 but now runs his own Auctioneering firm selling residential and commercial property from his office in Castlerea Roscommon. In addition he runs forestsales.ie which specialises in the sale of forests, reforestation land and standing timber. In this interview we speak about his 11 years with Greenbelt when afforestation rules we...

This podcast explores the forces impacting the profitable and sustainable management of commercial forests and natural woodlands. I speak with forest owners, forestry professionals and industry stakeholders on the biggest operational, environmental and economic challenges affecting the sector. I'll interview people involved in the harvesting and processing side of the forestry business as well as...