Call for Proposals: Forestry Skills Training in Ireland

The ongoing availability of the appropriate skills training in the forestry sector is vital to ensure a safe and productive industry that manages the environment in a responsible manner. Training in forestry skills contributes to the goals of sustainable forest management and helps to ensure that everyone working in the forest industry is trained to a high standard. Forest operations require specialised skills, and without training many operators would be non-compliant with health and safety legislation and certification requirements.

Funding for forestry skills training is an opportunity to invest in a sustainable and diverse industry, building confidence and enhancing prospects for development in the future. Higher education students, by choosing to study a course in forestry, have made a commitment to a career in the forestry sector. The students are important stakeholders in Irish forestry, as disseminators of forest policy to the wider community and future leaders of the sector.

Training Priorities

• Applications for funding should be made under one or more of the training priorities below:
  • Environmental Compliance
  • Forest Operator Skills
  • Forest Protection and Forest Health
  • Health and Safety
  • Sustainable Forest Management
  • Climate Mitigation and Adaptation of Forests, including timber
  • Forestry Legislation
  • Forest Technology

Funding Information

• 100% of the accepted net cost (excluding VAT, discounts and allowances) of a proposal will be payable to the applicant, up to a maximum amount of €50,000. Payment will not exceed the actual net expenditure incurred for a proposal.
• DAFM proposes to fund three projects per annum for each module. The aid for each investment will be decided based on the availability of funds and the ongoing priorities within the industry as well as the quality and scale of the proposals. More than six projects may be considered for grant aid each year where the total available annual budget is not exceeded.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Department will introduce two targeted modules under this call for proposals:
  • Module 1: Module 1 is for proposals aimed at training students registered on full-time forestry programmes at QQI Level 5 and above. Examples would be the Level 5 Certificate in Forestry, Level 7 Bachelor of Science in Forestry or Level 8 Bachelor of Agricultural Science in Forestry. The Department may seek confirmation that students participating in the course are registered as full time students.
  • Module 2: Module 2 is for proposals aimed at training forestry professionals and others working or considering working within the forestry sector.
• Applicants should indicate the module that they are applying under on their application form.
• More than one proposal per applicant can be submitted.

For more information, visit Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.