Service
Registration of Foresters and Forestry Companies
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Registered foresters and registered forestry companies play a critical role in the delivery of the State’s forestry programme in partnership with the landowner and this Department.
An applicant under the various forestry schemes must - unless expressly stated otherwise - use a registered forester to plan, prepare and submit their application for approval or grant aid and in many cases supervise or carry out the work being grant aided.
In order to be registered, a forester must achieve specific qualifications and have the required technical ability to perform the role.
In order to become registered, a forester must have attained the following minimum educational standard:
- an ordinary bachelor degree in forestry (National Framework of Qualifications Level 7)
- a qualification in forestry listed in the conditions of the scheme
- a qualification deemed acceptable by the Minister for Agriculture
Technical members of the Society of Irish Foresters (SIF) or an equivalent internationally recognised organisation, who do not satisfy the minimum educational standard, may be accepted onto the register based on their previous forestry experience and expertise. Registered Foresters who have already been admitted to the register based on their past forestry qualifications are deemed to have satisfied this criteria for any subsequent registration application.
At the time of application, a forester must provide evidence of professional indemnity insurance with a minimum value of €500,000 for any one claim. Registered foresters and forestry companies must provide evidence of renewal of this professional indemnity insurance on an annual basis in order to remain on the register.
The registration of a forestry company gives the status of a registered forester to the individual foresters nominated by that company – once they satisfy the other requirements - but only for work undertaken by that forester on behalf of the company.
A registered forester or registered forestry company is expected to provide an applicant with a high quality service which meets the Department’s application requirements and which demonstrates expertise, care and diligence that conforms with the following Forestry Standards:
- Society of Irish Foresters Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
- The Forest Service Code of Best Forest Practice – Ireland
- Irish National Forest Standard
- The Forest Service suite of Environmental Guidelines
- The principles of Sustainable Forest Management
- the terms and conditions of each scheme and the Forestry Standards Manual
- all relevant EU requirements and national legislation in force at the time
Foresters must comply with all the rules of registration as outlined in the programme’s terms and conditions.
You must complete the application form contained in the document below and return it to:
Forestry Division
Address:
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Johnstown Castle Estate, Co. Wexford
Phone number:
