Native Irish Trees and Hedgerows

We have planted native, indigenous shrubs and trees in order to maintain the biodiversity of the area. Biodiversity encompasses all living things – humans, animals, plants, birds, fish and the habitats in which they live. Globally, biodiversity is being lost due to increasing development, climate change, invasive alien species and the international trade in endangered species.

Native trees and shrubs are adapted to environmental conditions in Ireland and for that reason grow best here. They tend to benefit a huge range of wildlife as they have been present on the Irish landscape for thousands of years. Our main species are: alder, ash, birch, wych elm, oak, rowan, willow and yew. 

For example, oak trees provide food and shelter to over 450 species of insects. Not to mention all the birds, bats, ferns, mosses, lichens and fungi that seek food, shelter and/or roosting sites on a mighty oak!

Native hedgerows act as a haven for wildlife. They form wildlife corridors that allow animals, big and small, to move through the landscape, while providing much-needed food and shelter. Hedgerows also provide shelter and screening, improve the scenic appearance of the landscape are part of our historical and cultural heritage and thus help create a sense of place.

Wildflower Meadows

To continue the theme of biodiversity, we have planted some native wildflower meadows to let people see the wide range of Irish flora and to help preserve this rich heritage. Changes in land use have put pressure on the traditional ecosystems of rural Ireland. In times past, meadows were not cut until July or August which gave native species of wildflowers time to flower and seed. Now, with early cutting of meadows and use of fertilisers, the variety of wildflowers has dramatically decreased.