The call for entries for the 2026 RDS Forest and Woodland Awards, delivered in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, and the Woodlands of Ireland has officially opened and will close on 19 December.
As Ireland’s national forestry awards, they recognise and reward farmers and woodland owners who are employing the principles of climate-smart agriculture on their properties including sound commercial management, environmental protection and encouragement of biodiversity.
The awards are divided into four main categories which highlight, celebrate, and reward those who are at the forefront of the economic, environmental and community development of the forestry sector in Ireland.
- The Teagasc Farm Forestry Award Category recognises working farmers who are integrating forestry and farming for environmental, social and economic benefits. The category aims to promote the positive sustainable contribution of forestry as an integral enterprise within the wider farming profile. It acknowledges the farmer’s role in actively managing the forest and promoting tree planting to strengthen wider farming sustainability.
- The Silvicultural Excellence and Innovation Award Category recognises excellence in the management of a forest (broadleaf, conifer, mixed or coppice) where timber production is the main management objective.
- The Community Woodland Award Category encourages, and rewards projects involved in the communal ownership and/or management of forests and woodlands which have been established and managed in a sustainable way that is beneficial to the local economy and/or environment. Entry is open to community-based voluntary groups, participants in the NeighbourWoods Scheme, and privately owned public amenity forestry projects. Entrants should also be able to demonstrate significant and sustained community input.
- The Native Woodland Conservation Award Category aims to recognise excellence in the conservation and management of native forests and semi-natural woodlands which are regarded as ancient or long established and managed in a sustainable way that is both beneficial to biodiversity and the local economy.
The winner in each of the categories will receive €2,000 and an RDS Silver Medal. Category winners will also receive a specially commissioned trophy. The runner-up in each category will receive €1,000 and an RDS Certificate of Merit.
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To apply, simply download the relevant application form on the RDS website and once complete, email to forestry@rds.ie before 19 December.
The winners of the RDS Forest and Woodland Awards will be announced in April 2026 at the RDS Concert Hall. The Awards ceremony is included in the annual RDS Foundation Festival programme of events, offering all applicants opportunities to attend talks featuring experts on a wide range of topics related to forestry. The 2025 Festival programme included the following sessions:
- Opportunities for new land use change
- Getting more value from our land and bioeconomy with novel uses
- Delivering biodiversity ecosystem services from Irish forests
- Decarbonising Irish construction by using more timber
From its earliest foundation, the RDS has sought to encourage innovation and the promotion of best practice in Irish agriculture. During the 18th century the RDS facilitated the planting of around 55 million trees in Ireland. The National Botanic Gardens, founded by the Society in 1795, experimented with different tree species into the 19th century and in 1988 they introduced the first forestry awards in Ireland.
Today, the RDS Agriculture & Rural Affairs programme promotes the very best in Irish farming, forestry, and rural enterprise, which contributes to the development of sustainable agriculture, and enhancement of rural communities on this island.
To learn more about the near 300-year-old story of the RDS and Irish forestry, listen to the latest episode of the RDS Podcast, ‘Bearing Fruit: Tales from the RDS Archives’.
This episode features RDS Foundation Director, Niamh De Loughry, Head of RDS Library & Archives, Natasha Serne and Head of the RDS Forest and Woodlands Awards judging panel, Dr Mick Keane. The speakers delve into the evolution of forestry in Ireland, examining its historical roots, contemporary significance, and the commitment of the RDS and partners in supporting and honouring the sector.
The RDS would like to thank our sponsors and partners for their support and dedication to the Awards; the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, Woodlands of Ireland.
