A total of 2,000 native Irish Scots Pine trees have been planted at Glenveagh National Park, Co. Donegal, one of the state’s six national parks, according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
The NPWS said the plantation by its staff is the largest of its kind to date and was part of a “broader” suite of measures designed to improve native woodland in the park.
The trees were sourced from a grower in Co. Clare, who collected the pine seed in the Burren National Park, under licence from the NPWS.
According to the NPWS the “native Scots Pine woodland in Glenveagh is the first step in a wider native woodland conservation programme in Glenveagh National Park, that will focus on the long-term vision of creating favourable conditions for natural woodland habitat within the park”.
Other parts of this conservation effort include ongoing measures to curb invasive species, deer management and the creation of a tree nursery in the park.
NPWS has explained that the location chosen for the plantation in a 1.6/ha field will ensure that the trees will grow well and produce good seed – to establish good woodland, the soil must be suitable and the trees must be safe from grazing deer.
Minister of State for heritage and electoral reform, Malcolm Noonan said: “Scots Pine is a tree species native to Ireland and its reintroduction to one of our six national parks is testament to the work our National Parks and Wildlife Service is doing to restore native woodlands.
“Woodland is home to a wealth of wildlife and supports other plants, birds and insects in these ecosystems.
“I am proud of the work of our teams on the ground in Glenveagh and look forward to seeing these trees develop into a woodland of native Irish trees restoring some of Glenveagh’s natural heritage and paying tribute to its history.”