A plan to restore more than 4,000 acres of wild woodland in the west of Ireland has been launched.

The Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project is spearheaded by Hometree, a not-for-profit organisation based in Ennistymon, Co Clare.

Hometree will invest €12m in the initiative, which aims to establish and conserve permanent native woodland in Ireland through restoration, afforestation and education.

As part of the plan, Hometree has allocated a budget of €2.4m for the local community, farmers and landowners.

This money will be focused on tree plans that best serve farmers, as well as on creating access to public amenities and supporting landowners in protecting critical ecosystems on their lands.

First site

The first 280ac site for the Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project has already been purchased at Cnocán Bán in Connemara. Located between Lenane and Maam, the lands were formally a sheep holding.

Hometree intends to secure further lands in seven other locations in west Cork, Kerry, Clare, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.

Hometree has issued a funding call and is now inviting public, private and corporate partners to join the project.

Vision

“The Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project is all about creating woodlands where they once existed.

"Our vision for the spaces is not limited to woodland creation, we’ll also restore blanket bogs, species-rich grasslands and hopefully support vibrant human communities,” said Hometree CEO Matt Smith.

“The natural habitat of our western uplands is temperate rainforests, with flora and fauna that only exists in five or six parts of the world. It would be fantastic to see some of it restored,” he pointed out.

Oak, willow and birch are among the native trees that will be planted at Cnocán Bán and the other sites.

Native species

Hometree maintains that these native tree species are ideally suited for life in the wet, humid uplands and can turn hills from sources of carbon into significant carbon sinks.

In addition, the woodlands provide excellent habitats and support biodiversity.

Up to 80% of Ireland was once covered in wild forests of birch, pine and oak. Today, only 1% of these forests remain, with fragments of rainforests clinging on in gullies, cliff faces and islands.