Coillte’s commitment to Millennium forests

TWO People’s Millenium Forests in Wicklow have been included in a new Charter of Commitment launched by Coillte in recent days.

The launch took place at the recent Native Woodlands Conference which took place at the Glenview Hotel.

The People’s Millennium Forests is an all-Ireland initiative and is the largest-ever project aimed at restoring and managing Ireland’s native forests. Twelve of the 16 People’s Millennium Forests around the country are owned and managed by Coillte, including the two Wicklow sites at Ballygannon, near Rathdrum, and Shelton/ Kilbride, on the outskirts of Arklow.

Gerard Murphy, Managing Director of Coillte Forest, said that the purpose of the charter is to secure the future of these forests.

‘ This Charter of Commitment underpins Coillte’s ongoing recognition of the People’s Millennium Forests. We will continue, in partnership, with Woodlands of Ireland to ensure that these forests are protected and enhanced for the benefit of the public over many generations to come,’ he said.

Ballygannon Wood forms part of The Vale of Clara, one of the most important native oak forests in Ireland. In 2000, Coillte restored Ballygannon as a native forest: a 1960s conifer plantation forest was removed and more than 40,000 young trees of oak, birch, holly, rowan and Scots pine were planted.

The young trees were grown by Coillte from seeds collected in Co Wicklow.

‘Almost 20 years on, the young planted trees have developed to form a vibrant native forest that is rich in both plant and animal life. The forest will continue to grow for hundreds more years, developing into an ecologically mature forest,’ said Aileen O’Sullivan, Coillte Senior Ecologist.

For more information visit www.millenniumforests.com