Free venison barbecue at forest walk in Offaly to highlight unsustainable deer numbers
Forest walk in Kinnitty to highlight the impact of unsustainable deer populations on biodiversity and forestry
A Forest Walk event will take place in county Offaly next week to highlight the impact that an unsustainable population of wild deer can have on Irish forestry and farmland.
Hosted by FRS Co-Op, the Forest Walk information event will take place in Kinnitty, Co Offaly on Friday, 26th June. It is open to all hunters, landowners and interested members of the public.
The agenda for the forest walk will include a presentation by Dr Adam Smith from the School of Biology and Environmental Science in UCD about deer population densities across Ireland as well as deer ecology. The event will also include demonstrations from forestry groups Native Woodlands Trust and Pro Silva about the effects that deer populations have on Irish forestry.
In addition to the presentations, event goers will also be taken on a walk of the nearby Native Woodland Trust Forest to observe the on-the-ground impacts that unsustainable deer populations can have on forestry plantations. This will take place following a free Venison BBQ available for all visitors and sponsored by FRS Co-Op.
In February 2025, FRS Co-Op was awarded a contract to establish a new deer management programme in Ireland, which will aim to deliver a number of recommendations from the Deer Management Strategy Group. This includes the establishment of 15 Deer Management Units (DMU’s) in hotspot areas of the country and to appoint local coordinators to work with landowners and hunters.
The programme is now into its second year, and FRS Co-Op continues to work closely with landowners, hunters and other key stakeholders to ensure best practice deer management practices are implemented on a landscape scale. The programme aims to manage deer numbers to a sustainable population in order to prevent biodiversity loss and protect agriculture and forestry.
Event Details:
Location: Kinnitty Community Centre and Native Woodland Trust Forest, Co Offaly (Eircode: R42 EK57)
Date: Friday, 26th June 2026
Time: 10am – 4pm
Michael Keegan, manager of FRS Co-Op’s deer management programme, said:
“The FRS Deer Management Programme is delighted to be hosting this forest walk and information event, which will showcase the important work that is being undertaken to sustainably manage deer populations in Ireland.”
“This event will be a great opportunity for farmers and landowners to visualise and understand the effects that deer are having on our landscape, and highlight the important role that hunters play in landscape-scale deer management.
“I would urge any hunter, farmer, landowner or interested person wishing to attend to register on the FRS Co-Op website.”