ReWild Wicklow Go Native

Sugar Loaf with Drummin Trees. Pic: Christian Byrne

atest press release from the ReWild Wicklow gang, issued on Monday, February 7th 2022…

Daniel Alvey

ReWild Wicklow marked their launch as a new environmental organisation with a tree planting event on Saturday at Jacksmill Forest Gardens, Timmore in Newtownmountkennedy.

It started with a petition last year by members of the Alvey family calling on the Wicklow Mountains to be rewilded with native trees. The petition had 11,000 supporters and from these the new group has formed with the mission to monitor, protect, enhance and increase native habitats across the county working with public, private and other community groups.

At the event, chairperson Danny Alvey said: “Thank you to Huw O’Toole for having us here to help today, we’re delighted to launch this organisation for Wicklow and start working with partners to plant native trees. Huw’s project here that combines native planting, allotments for hire and a co-working space, Hub13, is a brilliant idea! Our beautiful county was once covered in native forests and home to so many species of birds and animals.

The ReWild Wicklow gang

“Now many of these are absent or on the brink of survival. We want to channel people power to turn the tide on this biodiversity crisis. We’d love to hear from more volunteers who want to join us and also landowners who want to create more space for nature on their land!”

“Over the next few months we’re hoping to do more tree plantings with our partners, and also clean-ups of the more wilder places and field trips with local guides.”

You can find out more about ReWild Wicklow on Facebook here, or email rewildwicklow@gmail.com.