Guided walks help people to get to know the forests of Ireland and enjoy a peaceful afternoon.
The Society of Irish Foresters runs a series of walks to inform the public about Ireland's forest and to make them aware that they are open to the public. The hope is that the walk will encourage people to visit and learn about the forests.
Hundreds of people strolled happily through twenty one Irish forests this weekend.
The walks are proving such a success that in places like Avondale in County Wicklow, extra guides had to be put on to cater for the crowds.
Foresters have given up their time to guide visitors through the plantations. Visitors are taught about the complex system of growing and looking after trees. All older plantations are now in production with the timber being used for house building, paper making and other associated industries.
Ireland produces about 300,000 tonnes of timber a year but enormous quantities of foreign woods and forest products are still used here.
The forest services hope to replace imports with indigenous woods.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 13 September 1970. The reporter is Eddie Barret.
