Minister Healy-Rae announces opening of the Forestry Knowledge Transfer Group (KTG) Scheme 2026
- Foilsithe: 20 Feabhra 2026
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 20 Feabhra 2026
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety, Michael Healy-Rae TD, has today announced the opening of the Forestry Knowledge Transfer Group (KTG) Scheme 2026, continuing the Government’s strong investment in practical training, peer learning and active forest management for Ireland’s private forest owners.
Announcing the Scheme, the Minister said:
“The Forestry Knowledge Transfer Group Scheme continues to be a very successful and sought-after initiative. It gives forest owners practical, hands-on knowledge and the confidence to make informed decisions about their forests. I am very pleased to reopen the Scheme for a seventh year.”
The aim of the KTG Scheme is to promote active sustainable forest management by building forest owners’ knowledge, awareness and decision-making capacity to support the management of their forests.
Now entering its seventh year, the Forestry KTG Scheme has become a cornerstone of knowledge transfer in the sector. Since its introduction in 2018, the Department has supported almost 3,000 forest owners to participate in locally based groups, helping them build the skills and confidence to actively manage their forests and maximise their long-term value.
The Minister continued:
“Groups are led by professional foresters and operate through field visits, demonstrations and peer-to-peer discussion, enabling participants to learn from both experts and fellow forest owners. These groups are about practical learning and real-world experience. They help owners to take a more active role in managing their forests.”
A key enhancement to the 2026 Scheme is the introduction of two dedicated Focus Areas, allowing organisers and participants to tailor learning to their specific needs.
Focus Area A – Sustainable Forest Management (SFM): Covering core silviculture, thinning, forest operations, forest health and resilience.
Focus Area B – Forest Management Plans (FMPs) and Forest Certification (FC): Supporting owners to prepare management plans and take practical steps towards certification and higher management standards.
As Focus Area B is a new addition to the Scheme, and in order to maximise uptake and support wider adoption of forest management planning and certification, all forest owners will be eligible to join a Focus Area B group, irrespective of whether they have participated in a Forestry KTG in previous years. This expanded access removes previous participation restrictions and ensures that any owner wishing to develop a Forest Management Plan or progress towards certification can do so through the Scheme.
Minister Healy-Rae continued:
“We want to make it easier for every forest owner to engage with planning and certification. Opening Focus Area B to all participants gives more owners a clear pathway to better management standards and stronger market opportunities.”
Recognising that forest owners may be unable to attend some meetings, the scheme also provides flexibility to ensure continued participation. Participants in this scheme may nominate a family member or joint owner to attend meetings on their behalf.
The Minister concluded:
“The new focus areas and the option to nominate someone to attend on your behalf ensures that nobody misses out on the opportunity to build skills and knowledge on managing your forests.”
Note to editors
KTG participation
Each KTG can have a maximum of 20 participants, and each participant will need to attend seven meetings or outdoor events in order to complete the programme.
A new element to the 2026 KTG Scheme is that organisers and facilitators will be able to choose from two different main focus areas. Note that each KTG must be assigned to only one focus area. (Focus Area A or Focus Area B).
Focus Area A will generally focus on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) topics and Focus Area B will address topics mainly related to Forest Management Plans (FMP) and Forest Certification (FC). Further details on both Focus Areas, including lists of mandatory and recommended topics can be found in Section 8.5.3 of the terms and conditions.
Note that participants and nominees can only join one KTG, either Focus Group A (SFM) or Focus Group B (FMP & FC).
Participants who have not taken part in a Forestry KTG in the previous three years, can be invited to participate in this KTG round.
However, as Focus Area B on Forest Management Plans and Forest is a new addition to the KTG Scheme, all participants will be able to join groups on Focus Area B, irrespective of attendance at KTG Groups in previous years.
Participation in other agriculture KTGs does not impact on participant’s eligibility to take part in Forestry KTGs.
Note where participants are unable to attend KTG meetings, they can nominate a family member. Nominees can be sons/daughters/ spouses/partners or another joint owner. Other nominee types will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
KTG payments
KTG payments are broken down as follows;
A total of seven meetings and events will be organised per KTG – the maximum payment to each participant is €560.
KTG evaluation
An evaluation process will apply to ensure that only applications to organise a KTG that reach a minimum standard are considered. Applications will also be ranked if the scheme is over subscribed.
Each KTG application received will be rated according to the following criteria:
- Description on how client base/membership would benefit from membership of a KTG(s)
- Capacity/experience of each KTG organiser to run the KTG programme, (include relevant experience of KTG administrator and experience of proposed facilitator in knowledge transfer actions)
- Track record of KTG organiser in previous knowledge transfer activities (field trips, seminars, etc.)
- Promotion strategy to attract inactive forest owners to the KTG.
All applicants will be ranked according to the marks awarded. Available KTGs will be distributed 50:50 between forestry producer groups and forestry companies/forestry consultants.
The KTG Scheme Terms & Conditions and Form A application can be downloaded from the Department’s website at: Forestry Knowledge Transfer Group Scheme 2026
Completed applications must be emailed to: forestryktg@agriculture.gov.ie by 5pm Friday, 20 March 2026.