Nearly lost to deforestation, Ireland’s ancient wildwood forests are sure to thrive once again thanks to Hometree.
The MISSION of Hometree is to establish and conserve permanent native woodland in Ireland, encouraging land regeneration and biodiversity through afforestation, restoration and education.
Why is it important?
Ireland was once a land of forests. At one time, up to 80% of the country was covered in native wildwood. Yet today, Ireland is the most deforested country in Europe. Just over 1% of that original forest cover remains. Hometree is changing this. Their vision is the restoration of Ireland’s ancient wildwood. Through conservation, afforestation and education, Hometree aims to create a landscape where people and forests flourish together.
How do they do it?
Hometree began in a small community garden project in the winter of 2015, where they saw how important it was for people to connect with nature. Since then, Hometree has planted over 30,000 pioneer trees like scots pine, willow and alder, while hundreds of people have contributed time and resources to the vision of incorporating more trees into the Irish landscape, bringing all the benefits that woodlands create. What began as a tree-planting charity has grown into a project that endeavors to deeply connect people with nature, and facilitates a wide variety of projects that are fundamental to addressing Ireland’s declining biodiversity and the unfolding climate challenge. Through education and supporting increased awareness and consideration of Ireland’s natural environment, they hope to nourish a new way of relating to nature conservation and rehabilitation.
Hometree accomplishes its goals through three branches: Education, Afforestation, and Conservation. Hometree’s educational branch facilitates a connection with nature amongst all citizens. Classes, field trips and hands-on habitat rehabilitation experiences can be offered to individuals, families, academic communities, holidaymakers and businesses/corporations to educate themselves while making a real difference. Their afforestation efforts work to establish a permanent forest to enrich biodiversity. Lastly, Hometree works with leading conservation experts to re-establish thriving ecosystems that stay legally protected over the long term.
How you can #TravelKindly:
- Choose HOMETREE as your local charity when booking your hotel through Kind Traveler.
- Join the Tree Planting and Maintenance Day. This fun and educational day is open to all and held on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month
- You can make a special donation to Hometree’s ambitious Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project, which seeks to restore temperate rainforests through three primary strategies: facilitating natural regeneration by removing grazing pressure, fencing off remnant pockets of forest to allow for their expansion and planting trees where there is a strong ecological rationale to do so. During this 4-year project, over 4000 acres will be restored.
- Pick up some merch from the shop, with proceeds going towards the project
- Purchase Hometree’s book