Minister announces €3m in grant aid for forestry research projects

GRANT aid totalling€3 million for selected research projects in the forestry sector was announced yesterday by Minister of State Sean Connick.

Most of the projects under the COFORD research programme will be of three to five years duration and will involve inter-institutional collaboration.

The research involved will be of a “public good” nature and the results will be made freely available.

Mr Connick said he was pleased that three research projects relating to forest energy were selected for assistance.

He said this is an area of particular interest due to the environmental advantages of forest-derived fuels.

It is also of interest because of the increasing cost of fossil fuels, and the opportunity for forest owners to develop wood fuel, a traditional forest product, in a way that will contribute to meeting modern energy needs.

Mr Connick said the main objectives of the COFORD forest research programme are to support sustainable and competitive forestry practices and policies and to contribute to building and maintaining a knowledge economy and scientific research in a vibrant forestry sector.

The projects now being funded should produce benefits not only for producers but also for the wider rural community.

Projects to be grant aided are in Waterford Institute of Technology, University College Dublin, Teagasc and University College Cork.