Beyond Trees: The Real Work of a Forester in Ireland Successful forest management in Ireland depends less on textbook theory and more on practical judgement, financial resilience, environmental responsibility, and the ability to coordinate people, solve problems, and make decisions that will still make sense decades...
Forest Biodiversity in Ireland Understanding the Variety of Life in Our Forests What is Forest Biodiversity Biodiversity is simply the variety of life. In forests, it means the plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms that live there, as well as the relationships between them and their environment. Forests are more than...
What Is Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)? Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) is the core principle behind modern forestry in Europe. It’s about managing forests in a way that meets our needs today — for timber, carbon storage, biodiversity, and recreation — without compromising the ability of future...
Ash Dieback in Ireland What It Means for Your Forest – and What You Can Do About It Introduction Ash Dieback is one of the most destructive tree diseases ever seen in Europe. Caused by a fungal pathogen (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus), it was first confirmed in Ireland in 2012....
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...
Forest Bathing: A Complete Guide The science, history and practice of forest bathing — and why it’s all about the forest. What is Forest Bathing? At first glance, forest bathing can sound like another modern wellbeing trend. The term itself was only coined in Japan during the 1980s,...
The Giants Grove is a remarkable project. A living memorial of Giant and Coastal Redwoods dedicated to loved ones at Birr Castle, Birr, Ireland. ...
This page sets out the documented sequence of events and decisions relating to the Silvergrove site, based on Forest Service records, the FAC decision, and High Court proceedings. (Updated March 2026) Written in January 2019: In response to the enormous amount of interest regarding the recent forestry...
Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) In Ireland An Ecological and Economic Alternative to Clearfelling What is Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF)? Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF), is a forest management approach that avoids clearfelling. Instead of removing all trees at once, it uses selective harvesting and natural regeneration to maintain permanent...