Author: Sean McGinnis

Can Scots Pine Save Irish Forestry? The forestry industry in Ireland faces significant challenges, with declining biodiversity, concerns about monoculture plantations, and the need for sustainable timber sources driving a search for solutions. Among the potential saviours of this sector is a tree species that has...

Forests and Woodlands in Irish Mythology: Portals to Ancient Enchantment and Spiritual Connection   Introduction: In the rich tapestry of Irish mythology, forests and woodlands emerge as captivating settings that hold profound significance and symbolism. Enveloped in an air of mystery and magic, these ancient landscapes serve as...

The History of Irish Forestry: From Ancient Roots to Modern Sustainability Introduction Welcome to our short guide on The History of Irish Forestry. In this article, we will delve into the origins and development of forestry in Ireland, tracing its journey from ancient times to the present...

What is the Giants Grove? It’s a lot more than you might think!   The Giants Grove project is a partnership between Crann – Trees for Ireland, and Birr Castle Estate. On the surface it’s basically an 8 hectare (20 acre) green-field afforestation project in the heart...

The Birr Castle Bee Management Project   How to Manage Forestry and Land for Bees The Birr Castle Bee Project began in 2019, at a time when few outside the Irish Beekeeping community were aware of the problems bees faced in Ireland. The Estate, as innovative as ever,...

Recording Forest Data for the Future at Giants Grove The worlds first forest management school was founded in the University of Giessen, the Holy Roman Empire, in 1778. For the majority of those almost 250 years the basic forest management tools were the humble pencil &...

Most Irish Oak Woodland Planted by Ecoplan   In April 2022 the Central Statistics Office published details of Irelands afforestation for the first time. Covering all afforestation’s between 2007 to 2021, the report had several interesting findings. What surprised me most though was that Ecoplan Forestry Limited,...

The Incredible Carbon Storage of Giants Grove The joint Crann – Trees for Ireland and Birr Castle Giants Grove Project at Birr, Co. Offaly is the largest Redwood Forest outside of the USA. Already in its fifth year, one thousand redwoods have been established amongst native...

Forest Biodiversity at the Giants Grove   Forest Biodiversity at the Giants Grove. While sequoias are the ‘stars’ of the Giants Grove, the project is about so much more than just the Redwoods. The Giants Grove is planted and managed for biodiversity, it is an ecosystem that...

What is Ecoforestry?   Ecoforestry is a forest management practice which emphasises sustainability and forest biodiversity rather than pure financial returns. The responsible way to manage forests is through a design that minimizes interference and aims to protect the ecosystem as a whole. The focus is on...

Native Woodlands in Ireland  Centuries of clearance and over-exploitation have reduced the once extensive native woodland of Ireland to the remnants we can now see. Instances of old native woodlands in Ireland continue to be found as little isolated stands. These are mainly in regions with...

What is Forest Bathing? The word bathing, when used with the word forest, invokes images of swimming in rivers or lakes that are surrounded by trees. That is rarely a part of forest bathing, but it is not completely off the mark. The air through which...

The Giants Grove is a remarkable project. A living memorial of Giant and Coastal Redwoods dedicated to loved ones at Birr Castle, Birr, Ireland. ...

In response to the enormous amount of interest regarding the recent forestry operations in Silvergrove, Kilbarry, Co. Cork, (loosely referred to as Toon Wood) I’m delighted to take this opportunity to answer some of the genuine concerns raised, and to give some background and explanation...

Native Woodland Conservation At Ecoplan Forestry Ltd, we are the only forestry company dedicated to the conservation of Native Woodlands in Ireland. Our expert team understands the importance of preserving Ireland's natural heritage and works tirelessly to protect these valuable ecosystems. Through our sustainable forestry practices,...

Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) In Ireland   What is Continuous Cover Forestry Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) is a close-to-nature forestry approach to the sustainable management of forests whereby forest stands are maintained in a permanently irregular structure, which is created and sustained through the selection and harvesting of...

Ash Dieback Disease Ash-dieback disease (often called chalara) is a serious and rapidly spreading disease of ash trees that has had a significant impact on forests and landscapes in Ireland and many other countries in Europe. The disease is caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus,...