Kilkenny - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

Forestry Foliage Production Seminar

kilkenny | environment | event notice

Wednesday September 26, 2007 13:34

by O. O'Connell - IFA

Marketable Foliage from Forest Crops

Forest foliage is a growing business in Ireland. While it is still predominantly a Christmas time business, year-round uses are rapidly growing, particularly in the floral trade. Around the world, stems from trees and understorey plant species are profitably harvested from forests for such applications. While forest foliage has been traditionally used as a filler in bouquets and arrangements it is now growing in use in its own right, allied to the trend for all things natural. In fact, many floral artists now use forest foliage on its own to make attractive and saleable arrangements .

The production of foliage from many tree and shrub species presents an exciting business opportunity, well suited to the Irish climate. While forest owners wait for early thinning income, revenue from foliage collection is a distinct possibility. With rapidly expanding markets, the time has never been better for land owners to consider forest foliage production as a viable option.

To address these opportunities COFORD [the Council for Forestry Research and Development] is holding a seminar in Kilkenny on 18 October to provide an introduction to the industry and showcase the wide range of foliage products that can be sourced from Ireland’s forests.

The seminar will include presentations from industry experts as well as from researchers involved in a current COFORD project on forest foliage. The key-note address will be presented by Dr Simon Pearson, Commercial Director, Winchester Growers and former cut flower technologist with Marks and Spencer supermarket. He brings a depth of knowledge in the area of foliage and flower procurement, and will discuss the importance of forest species in the foliage sector and his experiences as a buyer.

An extensive range of forest foliage and other lifestyle products will be on display. Demonstrations of how forest foliage may be incorporated in floral design will be provided by Richard Haslam, well known floral designer and twice winner of the gold medal at the Chelsea flower show. There will also be a networking opportunity for researchers and others involved in the industry.

As well as the indoor sessions the seminar will be followed by field visits, on 19 October, to a number of foliage production sites, and to a packing/processing facility in the Wexford area. A bus will depart from Hotel Kilkenny on the morning of Friday 19 September and return the same evening. Any interested parties are asked to their confirm their attendance on the field visit when booking a place at the seminar.

In summary the programme for the event is:

Indoor seminar: Thursday 18 October at the Hotel Kilkenny, Kilkenny

Field visit: Friday 19 October visits to foliage production and processing facilities in Co Wexford. Bus will depart from Hotel Kilkenny, Kilkenny, 12.15