Why we do what we do

It’s in our nature

We cherish our beautiful native Irish woodlands and natural habitats and we want to have a real impact on biodiversity and climate.

We believe in the importance of creating accessible beautiful natural spaces for the health and wellbeing of the public.

In a recent Project Woodland survey, 88% of those surveyed said they believed forests and woodlands benefited local communities. As a dedicated Irish not-for-profit, we champion the invaluable and unique role of native woodlands and the wonderful opportunities and benefits they provide to our society.

Impact

Leading the next generation of nature-based solutions

The Nature Trust’s nature-based solutions offer many benefits:

Carbon sequestration and storage over the lifetime of the trees
Increased biodiversity of plant and animal species
Enhanced community wellbeing through the provision of public amenities in a natural setting

Key Benefits

Seeing the wood for the trees

Carbon

Roots and branch

Not only are trees beautiful, they are smart too. They create their own food by drawing water up through their roots and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere through their leaves in the presence of sunlight. That carbon is stored in a solid form and becomes part of the tree, and it also goes into the soil through the roots to be absorbed by the fungi and the tiny creatures living in the soil.

Biodiversity

Tree of life

We know that biodiversity, the variety of species on earth, is in decline and it is crucial that we increase and enhance our natural spaces. By planting the right mix of native tree species on suitable land, we create the conditions for it to transform into a beautiful native Irish woodland, providing food, shelter and homes for wildlife.

When a tree dies naturally in the woods, it becomes an important source of food for many tiny creatures and fungi, which in turn get eaten by other animals and birds. So it’s not just about the trees, it’s about the whole web of life that they sustain, including us.

Wellbeing

Into the woods

We all want to enjoy spending time in beautiful outdoor spaces and connect with nature. By creating new native Irish woodlands and restoring and rewilding natural habitats like bogs and old woodlands, nature flourishes. Drawn to these inspiring, invigorating natural spaces, people’s optimal health and wellbeing is supported. As Irish communities come together here to create, explore, engage and relax in nature, society on the whole can benefit for generations to come.

time to grow

The story of a new native woodland

Play Animation

The root of the matter

Woodland Communities

We plant a mix of native Irish trees or a ‘woodland community’, according to the type of soil and how wet the area is.

We plant a mix of tree species to ensure diversity. In any new woodland that we plant, it’s likely that we will have more than one ‘woodland community’ to suit different parts of the site.

A wet woodland community would have native species like birch, willow, alder and guelder rose suited to wet conditions. On drier ground we could have a woodland community of oak, birch and Scots pine with shrubs like holly, rowan, spindle, hazel and hawthorn.

We keep any existing hedgerows, native trees and areas of scrub on the sites we plant in order to provide additional space for wildlife and a seed source for new trees to regenerate.

The magic of trees

Our native Irish woodlands hold magic and mystery.

These beautiful spaces and the magnificent trees within form part of the fabric of our Irish culture, history and spirit. Our colourful folklore and fairytales about woods and trees evoke a sense of wonder and awe and capture the imagination of adults and children alike. The woodlands gift us with a multi-sensory experience that plays to our senses of sound, sight, smell and touch. Trees are grounding and calming for the body’s energy system and spending quiet time immersed in the woods is known to have meditative and healthful qualities. The letters of the old Celtic ogham alphabet were based on our native tree species.