Take a walk in a special Mayo woods

LITTLE did they know at the time that a conversation by two brothers while walking home from the pub over 20 years ago would spark an idea to develop one of the country’s first new native woodlands projects.

Back in 2000, Bernard and Des Joyce were discussing how best they could use their small mixed farm near Ballyvary. Neither brother was keen on continuing the traditional mixed farming of their late father, Jim.

The family had a great fondness for a small section of hazel woodland in Laughtavary, which was used as a source of firewood over the years, a great place to play as children and a peaceful place to go for a walk.

Bernard and Des came up with the idea of developing a much larger woodland that would consist of all native Irish species.

The brothers quickly learned that no grant aid was available for planting native woodlands. A chance encounter with a forester called Joe Gowran from Drumcliff, Co. Sligo, changed all that.

Together with Joe and a few other interested parties across the country, the Department of Agriculture, Marine and Forestry were successfully lobbied to introduce a scheme to grant aid the establishment of native woodlands. As this type of forestry had not been done before, the Ballyvary project became one of the first pilot schemes nationally.

A group of scientists and foresters met in the spring of 2002 to plan the scheme. After much detailed discussion on this new forestry concept, a plan was developed and agreed upon.

In 2003 works to plant the new woodland began. One of the biggest challenges was the procurement of this large number of certified Irish native trees. By 2004 over 30,000 Irish native trees were planted including oak, ash, hazel, birch, alder, holly, rowan, willow, crab apple, wild cherry and spindle.

Work also began on coppicing the existing old hazel woodland. This is an old ancient method of woodland management which allows sections of the woodland to be cut out. This allows all the flowers and plants to be exposed to light. The cut down trees regrow quickly, and the quality of the wood improves as the trees grow back straighter.

The coppicing continues, on a rotational basis, in the woodland now.

The cut trees are used for many purposes such as firewood, fencing, wattle fences, garden stakes for plants and lots of other uses. Much of the timber has been used in the building of history projects around the country. Some readers may know that the little wattle thatched cottage in the museum in Turlough was constructed from wood from the Joyce’s woodland.

Today, almost 18 years later, the woodlands look splendid. Many of the trees are reaching 8 to 10 metres in height. And the trees have created a habitat for many wild species. Pine Martins are found in the woodland, otters have returned to the river. Overhead, the increase birds and wildlife have attracted sparrow hawk.

Today, Bernard, his wife Zane and family have set up their home on the edge of the woodland and they are its custodians. Over the years their Nature School has welcomed visitors young and old to visit the woodlands and reconnect with nature and trees. Many woodland courses have also been organised from within the woodland.

As we celebrate National Tree Week, everyone is encouraged to find a space and plant a few trees. With such destruction of wildlife habitats and the threat to our planet from climate change, we know that the planting of trees is one of the most important things we could do to reverse this change.

There is a tree for all spaces. Not all plans hatched in the pub come to fruition, however thankfully in the case of Bernard and Des Joyce, it resulted in a successful outcome.