Planting of new Cavan woodland funded by major retailer

An 11-acre site near Cavan town is being transformed into a native woodland thanks to a major retailer marking 25 years of business in Ireland.

The process of planting a total of 15,000 native woodland trees such as Oak, Scots Pine, Birch and Hazel has begun in Kilnavara.

The project was undertaken by Boots Ireland, through the Woodland Environment Fund (WEF). The WEF - run by the Department of Agriculture - provides an access point for individual businesses to help expand Ireland’s native woodland resource, by providing additional incentives to encourage landowners to plant new native woodlands that they may not have otherwise planted, had that additional support not been provided.

Jane McGovern, owner of the site in Kilnavara, commented: “It’s fantastic that Boots Ireland have come on board with their genuine interest in expanding Ireland’s native woodlands and enhancement of natural biodiversity. We hope that in a few years with their support, we will have a beautiful native woodland habitat within walking distance of Cavan Town that the local community can benefit from.”

Native woodlands are an integral part of Ireland’s natural heritage, history, and culture, and are unique in terms of their biodiversity. They are home to a host of specialised woodland animals and plants, including red squirrel, pine marten, great spotted woodpecker, narrow-leaved helleborine and wood millet, to name but a few.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said: “We have set ambitious targets as a country to plant native trees in Ireland each year. Encouraging our native Irish biodiversity to flourish is highly important, and I am delighted to see a company such as Boots supporting the Department of Agriculture-led Woodland Environment Fund. It is important that companies and individuals play their part in reducing the amount of carbon we emit, and I commend Boots and the team for all their hard work.”

His department colleague Minister Pippa Hackett added: "It’s a fund which demonstrates the best of public private partnership, as it offers firms the opportunity to top up payments to farmers and landowners who commit to Department funded forestry."

Stephen Watkins, Managing Director, Boots Ireland said the tree planting was part of their "continued journey to environmental sustainability".

"Last year our stores and support office reached a goal of operating on 100% renewable energy and reaching 0% of waste to landfill. We have also reached a significant milestone in our products’ environmental sustainability journey,” he said.