Directors

  • Professor/Dr Jim McAdam

    Jim is an agricultural scientist specialising in agri-environment measures and in the potential for agroforestry systems to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services. He retired from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in 2018 but remains active in silvopastoral research and in promoting agroforestry systems across the island of Ireland. He has a particular interest in developing climate-resilient farming systems. He is an honorary professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast and an Associate with Ulster Wildlife.

  • Dr Ian Short

    Ian is a Teagasc forestry researcher working in broadleaf silviculture and alternative silviculture systems. He has a Ph.D. from Queen’s University and has published more than 30 studies and papers on the topics of agroforestry, silviculture/silvopasture, broadleaf tree selection, sustainable land management, and more. Dr Ian Short is a member of EURAF (European Agroforestry Federation) and the UK Farm Woodland Forum (formerly UK Agroforestry Forum).

  • Imogen Rabone

    Imogen is founder and co-ordinator of the Trees on the Land project - a cross-border initiative working to establish young native trees across the 32 counties of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. She works with tree cover and woodland establishment and management projects across Ireland, Northern Ireland, and parts of England and Wales. Her main interests lie in the restoration and re-establishment of old and lost tree cover infrastructure on farms and in the wider landscape and she has a special interest in Agroforestry of all kinds, particularly in wood pasture.

  • Gavin Lynch

    Gavin Lynch, a farmer from Hell's Kettle in west Wicklow, Ireland, stands out in the agricultural landscape. While his family's farm primarily focuses on conventional dairy farming, Gavin has taken a unique path by cultivating a sizable hazelnut enterprise. Amidst the routine of dairy operations, Gavin tends to 1,500 hazel trees. His farming journey began with a degree in agricultural science in Essex. Returning to Donard, he combined traditional organic dairy farming with the experimental hazelnut orchard. Gavin's commitment to permaculture and organic practices sets him apart in Ireland's farming community.

Manager

  • Maureen Kilgore

    Maureen is the Manager of the Irish Agroforestry Forum. With a background in low-input farming, she earned her B.Agr (Hons) and MSc in Environmental Science from Queen’s University Belfast. Maureen studied agroforestry as part of her degree, writing her dissertation on the impact of agriculture including agroforestry on biodiversity. Maureen's background includes roles as a researcher at QUB, lecturer at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise in Northern Ireland, and community development at Sustainable Northern Ireland. She is passionate about sustainable farming, agroforestry education and promotion, circular bioeconomy principles and slow food. She has a particular interest in the production of beef and lamb from agroforestry systems and local supply chains. As well as her management skills she brings extensive experience in community and education outreach, stakeholder engagement, and awareness campaigns to the forum. Maureen is a member of the Irish Agroforestry Forum and the Woodland Forum UK, she is the Ireland delegate on the Executive Committee of the European Agroforestry Federation and is an advisor to Interlace Commons LLC.

Project Support Staff

  • Ragna Gruendler

    Farm Walk Organiser

    Ragna is a nature enthusiast dedicated to improving the environment through tree planting. With a background rooted in a childhood spent amidst the diverse forests of Germany, Ragna's passion for trees grew. In 2013, she initiated a 5-acre native woodland project on her Irish farm, introducing alder, birch, oak, hazel, and more. Ragna expanded this endeavour, creating hedgerows, woodland zones, and nature corridors. Her connection with nature began early, working on a local farm by age 10. Since relocating to Ireland in 2001, Ragna has been instrumental in restoring her Connolly farm, now cultivating over 40 tree species. Committed to promoting a healthier landscape, Ragna, through her work at the Irish Agroforestry Forum, shares her vision and continues to explore innovative ways to integrate trees into the farming environment. Adaptable, diligent, and forward-thinking, Ragna supports and promotes agroforestry innovation in Ireland.

Secretary

  • Kevin Fagan

Advisory Support Members

  • Eugene Curran

    Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine

  • Aileen O'Flynn

    Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine

  • Pamela Boyle

    Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine

  • Jack Nolan

    Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine

  • Tom Houlihan

    Teagasc

  • Liam Kelly

    Teagasc

  • Sean McGloin

    National Organic Training Skillnet

  • John Brennan

    Leitrim Organic Farmers Co-Op

  • Jennifer Byrne

    Horticulturist

  • Donal Chambers

    Kinsale College Permaculture

  • Rory Harrington

    Researcher

  • Catherine Cleary

    Pocket Forests

  • Rachel Irwin

    Teagasc