Learning that Ireland has the lowest tree coverage in Europe was a “gut punch”, one keen rewilder has said.
Centuries ago, around 80% of Ireland’s green landscape was covered in trees - many of which were hundreds of years old.
The arrival of modern agriculture changed that now less than 1% of the island is covered by ancient woodland.
The Government hopes to reverse this historic trend and is aiming to cover 18% of the State in trees by 2050.
Businesses are getting involved as well; Wolfman Digital bought a plot of land seven-years ago and staff were bussed out to plant trees on it.
“Back in 2017, we decided we wanted to become carbon neutral,” CEO Alan Coleman told Sarah Madden for The Pat Kenny Show.
“We were looking into our different options and we learnt three things about forests that really made us feel strongly that we wanted to start planting trees.
“The first thing we learnt is that forestry is one of the strongest solutions to global warming.”
An oak forest in Omagh. Picture by: Alamy.com.Mr Coleman continued that Ireland has “a lot of natural advantages when it comes to reforestation”.
“So, trees that would take 160-years to mature in Scandinavia can mature here in 40-years,” he said.
“Economists would call that comparative advantage - if a country has a comparative advantage, it should focus on that.”
Despite this, Mr Coleman said he was shocked to learn that Ireland is the least forested country in Europe.
For him, it completely changed how he viewed the entire landscape around him.
“This was a gut punch for us because everyone grows up with the notion of Ireland being this wonderful green country with vibrant ecosystems,” he said.
“That’s a lie, that’s not true.
“We’re actually bottom of the table in Europe for forest cover and also bottom of the table in Europe for biodiversity.”
Muintir na gCrann
One woman who knows more than most about Ireland’s ancient connection to trees is nature guide Aoife Lowden.
She is passionate about reconnecting people with Ireland’s centuries’ old heritage.
“Historically and spiritually, we have a very ancient connection with the trees,” she said.
“Essentially, we are muintir na gCrann - which is the people of the trees.
“Long ago, Ireland was essentially a forest; it was a rainforest of oak and many native trees and plants.
“A very different landscape to what we know today, which is of the green fields of Ireland - that is a manmade landscape.”
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Ms Lowden continued that trees enjoyed a unique status under Brehon law.
“Part of this law was a protection of the trees and the trees are divided up into different categories,” she said.
“You had the nobles of the woods and the commoners of the woods and so on.
“Based on the importance of that tree and the value of that tree, there would be a penalty.
“To cut down a tree, particularly a sacred tree, was akin to the killing of a chief, the killing of a person.
“So, when we look at this written into the Brehon law, we can see how our Gaelic ancestors revered the trees and held them in such sanctity or reverence.”
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Ms Lowden added that learning about nature has changed her entire outlook on life.
“When you sever people from the land, you sever a people from their soul,” she said.
“So, a big part of my life is definitely finding my way back to the land and reclaiming that mindset as well.
“The mindset that comes from being in a relationship with the landscape and the trees and how that actually changes us.”
Main image: Oak trees in Ireland. Picture by: Alamy.com.
