🕒 Last updated on September 27, 2025
Ireland has long been known as a country with many fields but very few trees. For years, most forests were filled with just one type of tree, often planted only for cutting and selling wood. These forests were useful for timber but not very friendly to birds, insects, or animals. Today, that is changing in a powerful and exciting way. Forests across Ireland are being redesigned to support nature, wildlife, and people — all at the same time.
Forests Built for Life, Not Just Wood
In the past, forests were managed like factories. Trees were planted in straight lines, all the same size, and cut down all at once. This left the land bare for years before new trees grew back. Now, many forests are being managed differently using a method called continuous cover forestry. This practice means trees are never fully cleared. Instead, only selected trees are gently removed, allowing sunlight to reach the ground while keeping the forest alive.
This new style of forest helps in three big ways:
- It gives animals like red squirrels, pine martens, and birds a permanent home—all
- It keeps capturing carbon from the air, helping fight climate change.
- It allows trees of different sizes to grow together, making the forest stronger and healthier.
Dead trees are also being left on the forest floor. Instead of being seen as waste, they are now recognized as a treasure chest for insects, fungi, and tiny animals living in the soil.
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Nature Is Returning Faster Than Expected
Some forests in counties like Wicklow and Sligo are showing surprising signs of recovery. Forests that were once filled with only one or two types of trees now have layers of oaks, birch, beech, holly, hazel, and other native plants. Thick carpets of heather, ferns, bilberry, and wild grasses are spreading naturally.
Even forests that were planted hundreds of years ago are bursting with life again. These older woodlands are precious because they have been covered in trees for so long that rare plants and insects have survived there. These places are now carefully protected and improved so that their history is not lost.
Animals are responding too. Woodpeckers tap against trunks. Long-eared owls glide between branches. Red kites and buzzards circle above. Even the quiet creatures we do not often see—like worms and beetles—are growing in number as the ground becomes richer and damper.
In some forests, deer have become a problem because they eat young shoots before they can grow. To protect new trees, special fences and careful population control are being used. This helps plants grow naturally without too much human planting.
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Forests Helping Rivers, Fish, and People
The forest revolution is not just happening on land. In places like Devil’s Glen, forests beside rivers are being restored to help fish such as salmon and trout. Fallen tree trunks are placed across streams to slow the flow of water, creating cool hiding spots for fish and deeper pools for spawning. Gravel is added to help fish lay their eggs safely.
But forests are also becoming more welcoming for people. Many of these woodlands now have walking paths, viewing spots, and resting areas. Families visit to enjoy clean air, quiet surroundings, and wildlife spotting. These forests give people a place to relax, exercise, and reconnect with nature.
Old problems like invasive plants are also being tackled. Species such as cherry laurel and rhododendron were once planted to decorate large estates. But they grew so thick that nothing else could survive beneath them. Special techniques are now being used to remove them so native plants can grow again.
Across Ireland, different landscapes—from river valleys to mountain slopes and boglands—are being rejuvenated in careful, practical ways. Instead of forcing nature to fit human plans, forests are now being guided to grow in their own natural rhythm.
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Ireland’s forests are changing quietly but powerfully. What was once seen as a treeless nation is now growing a living network of woodlands filled with birdsong, flowing rivers, and rich green life. Without shouting or slogans, a true nature revolution is spreading—one leaf, one tree, and one forest at a time.