Be the difference – Tree the difference – see the difference

Unlike the Memorial and Celebratory Tree options, this is a way to help fund the planting of thousands of trees in Europe’s largest rewilding project at Dunsany Nature reserve in County Meath – 750 acres given back to nature by Lord Dunsany.

When you decide to plant a Tree for Nature, we simply email our thanks with a simple digital tree planting Certificate, (if you do not want a certificate just write ‘No Need’ at checkout) and we commit to planting your tree during our planting days, you will also become a subscriber to our Rewilding newsletter, and you will receive updates and video updates by email across the seasons.

We also offer monthly tree planting subscriptions for those that want an ongoing commitment to Tree planting, including planting days at Dunsany Castle and Nature Reserve.

If you have come this far, you have probably decided that you want to do your bit for the planet, not just by reducing waste and buying less, and conserving fuel, but also by investing in Nature, building habitats and ecosystems, and that means giving the planet a future.

If you don’t have time but want to just Plant a tree, skip to the bottom of the page.

If you want to know how you are going to help by just planting one tree… read more.

Ireland currently has the best climate for growing trees, yet just 2% of our landmass has broadleaf deciduous trees.

We have fewer trees than nearly every other European country, however, we have better growing conditions than most.

Conifers and evergreen plantations have their place, really just for the fast growth of timber. We need timber too, for the many wooden products we need, from wooden spoons to roof beams, to furniture, to fuel.

But Conifer plantations simply don’t create a habitat.

In simple terms, ecosystems are basically food chains.

Hardly any native insects can live in an evergreen plantation, the under-canopy is too dark and dry to sustain anything else.

As there are no broad leaves, there are few insects, and few spiders, which means fewer birds, if any, can scratch out a living. Listen the next time you are in an evergreen forest – no birds!

Should a bird visit, it simply won’t come back, as time is energy for a bird.

Small mammals won’t make a living there either as there is no leaf litter, which means hardly any fungus, it’s too dry and besides there is nothing there to decompose, as there are no leaves, so no insects, no caterpillars, no berries, no nuts, no rodents, no hedgehogs, no small birds, no rabbits, there is nothing there that can sustain nature, plantations are wood growing machines.

Broadleaf native deciduous woodlands on the other hand, begin the cycle that creates the habitat that nature needs, trees take carbon from the sky, and in simple terms, coverts it into wood. This means it traps the carbon until it dies.

But trees grow leaves, Irish Insects need Native Irish Trees as their digestive systems have evolved to eat particular species, if there are small insects there will be big inserts, if the caterpillar can eat the leaf, the bird can eat the caterpillar and feed its chicks, so they will nest, the smaller bird can sustain the hawk.

The deer will seek out undergrowth, foraging and stomping acorns into the ground, if there is light the oak will grow, and the roots will intertwine between other trees, making a strong storm-tolerant root system. Fallen leaves will create damp habitats to slow heavy rain and purify the water and protect the soil, fungi will help decompose the fallen leaves to feed the soil.

Small undergrowth plants will flourish in the shade of bigger trees, and in time, what was a grass field, will become a perfect home for thousands of creatures as the trees grow they will continue to help the absorption of Carbon, and together trees will work at protecting each other from storms and disease.

Grass doesn’t feed an ecosystem, it is hardly eaten by any insects and aggressively competes against trees stealing all root resources and water that a young tree needs.

So when you plant one tree very little will happen, but this is the key… when everybody decides to plant one tree, a woodland will be created that will naturally create an abundance of life.

So, Plant that tree.

We have 750 acres to Rewild at Dunsany, it needs trees, and it will take time, but it will be protected, as it has been for the last 950 years.

You can be part of Ireland’s largest private rewilding project and which is a legacy to the Earth.

If you want to see more about the Dunsany Rewilding project just click here.

If after reading this you want to subscribe to our Tree planting and become a Dunsany Patron just go back a page and click on the option that appeals to you most.

If at any stage in the future you decide you can do more just let us know.

Be the difference, tree the difference, see the difference – Click here to plant a Tree.