New initiative for Kildare farmers and landowners launched
An online hub related to the initiative has also been launched
A new initiative aimed at farmers and landowners in Ireland, including those based in County Kildare, has been launched by the government.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD (Fine Gael), along with Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Niall Collins TD (Fianna Fáil), have just launched the new Forestry for You online hub.
The online hub also launched alongside the first Forestry Ambassador initiative, which aims to help farmers, landowners and communities ‘explore the opportunities forestry can offer’.
According to a spokesperson for Minister Heydon’s Department, the Forestry for You hub ‘brings together clear, practical information on Ireland's Forestry Programme in one place’, including grants and schemes, forest types, financial supports, and the steps involved in planting.
They also asserted that the Forestry Ambassador initiative features three farmers who have established a range of forests, from native woodland with species such as oak and birch to commercial forests including Sitka spruce, as well as a community woodland project.
“Through videos and personal profiles, they explain why they chose forestry, the challenges they encountered, the supports that helped them, and the benefits for their farms, land, and communities,” the spokesperson explained.
‘OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS’
Launching the initiatives, Minister Heydon said: “Forestry has an important role to play in supporting our farmers, landowners and communities — it is about much more than planting trees; it is about creating opportunities for future generations, strengthening farm resilience, enhancing biodiversity, supporting sustainable timber production, and contributing to vibrant rural communities.”
Moreover, Minister Collins claimed that both of the new projects ‘will help people better understand the wide range of forestry options available’.
He also asserted that the work that went into creating the new initiatives ‘builds on the progress made in recent years’, including the improvements in licensing timelines, enhanced schemes and supports introduced through the mid-term review of the Forestry Programme, as well as the recent publication of Public Attitudes Survey on Forestry 2026.
“I encourage anyone interested to visit the 'Forestry for You' hub and hear directly from our ambassadors about their experiences,” Minister Collins concluded.
The Forestry for You hub and Forestry Ambassador stories can be viewed on www.gov.ie/forestryforyou.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme