6 days ago
Kerry project to conserve and restore native woodlands on Iveragh peninsula
With an estimated target of 300 hectares, the Iveragh Woodlands European Innovation Partnership (EIP) will focus on restoring old-growth remnants, facilitating natural regeneration, and, where needed, planting local provenance native saplings.
As well as benefits for nature, the project aims to reconnect local communities with natural heritage, create new opportunities through upskilling and investigating market opportunities, and ultimately hopes to create a blueprint that will inform policy and future agricultural support mechanisms.
EIP aims to address two challenges: a policy environment that makes it extremely difficult to create or restore native woodlands in upland areas - especially where they are designated for conservation - and diminishing farm viability in upland and hill settings.
This project proposes a new model for upland woodland restoration that complements existing farm systems and supports rural communities.
This four-year initiative is led by the charity Hometree and is co-funded by the European Union and Department of Agriculture.
It will offer participating farmers an initial participation fee, support for any restoration actions undertaken, and ongoing payments linked to ecological outcomes designed to work alongside existing payments.
Ray Ó Foghlú, project lead at Hometree, said the project has enormous potential for positive impact on Ireland's landscapes and habitats. It also benefits farmers financially and by creating and strengthening networks and opening up opportunities.
'I'm incredibly excited about the potential for positive impact this project will bring to south Kerry,' he said.
The project is supported by Munster Technological University, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Kerry County Council and other partners and local stakeholders.
Hometree is recruiting an ecologist and a local coordinator to work full-time on the project alongside a project manager and administrator.
See for more information and application details. Contact information: Ray Ó Foghlú at 087 224 9226. Lucy Taylor lucy@
