Waterford's Crough Wood wins RDS Community Woodland Award
Pictured at the RDS Spring Agricultural & Forestry Awards are Crough Woodland, Declan Mulheane, Joan Kirwin, Paul Kirwin, Thomas Fennell. Photo: Shane O'Neill, Coalesce
The ‘Finding Common Ground’ festival, an initiative of the RDS, took place recently in Ballsbridge, Dublin, exploring the benefits of natural resources and the circular economy with a view to increase awareness, education and identification of solutions.
As part of the event, the RDS Forestry Awards, which celebrate the work of individuals, farm families and organisations who are enhancing the economic, environmental, and social development of Irish agriculture and rural communities, also took place.
Crough Wood in Kilmacthomas was among the winners, taking home the Community Woodland Award.
Formed in 1996, the Comeragh Community Development group, a volunteer-run organisation based in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, has developed the Crough Wood Walk for locals and visitors alike to enjoy the thriving natural environment.
The RDS Community Woodland Award celebrates projects involving the communal ownership and management of forests and woodlands, which have been established and managed in a sustainable way that is beneficial to the local economy and environment.
Speaking at the awards, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine with responsibility for Food Promotion, New Markets, Research and Development, Noel Grealish TD, said: “These awards provide recognition to outstanding individuals, farm families and organisations who have excelled in enhancing the economic, environmental, and social development of Irish agriculture and their rural communities.
“The awards commend farmers dedicated to sustainable breeding programmes and their commitment ensures that future generations of livestock are healthier, more productive, and increasingly carbon efficient.
"I want to congratulate all category winners, and I am delighted to be present to celebrate and highlight the most productive and efficient farmers and livestock in the country.”
The RDS would like to thank their sponsors and partners for their support and dedication to the awards; the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, Woodlands of Ireland, The Heritage Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
The RDS Finding Common Ground festival is a key initiative driven by the RDS’s enduring mission to inspire, enable and empower positive change in Irish society.
Recognising the urgent need to address the intertwined challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, this two-day festival strategically leverages the RDS’s broad reach and meaningful connections across its key programme areas – arts, agriculture, enterprise, equestrianism, and science – to foster a vital cross-sectoral dialogue.
The Finding Common Ground festival is specifically designed to explore how Ireland can sustainably harness the benefits of its natural resources and the circular bio economy, with the overarching ambition of leaving the world in a better state than we found it.
RDS is a philanthropic organisation operating in a membership context to make Ireland a better place for all.
The purpose of the RDS is to inspire, enable and empower positive change.
The RDS Foundation delivers programmes, bursaries and activities on an all-island basis. All events which take place at the RDS venue create the resources to support the work of the RDS Foundation.
