CALL Launch the Fourth Woodland Project

Commencing the ceremony Part 1 Mullagh Woodland Project

Ceremonial planting Part 2 Mullagh Woodland Project

Ceremonial planting Part 3 Mullagh Woodland project

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18,000 trees ready for planting

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Damp but not down

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Planning the Celtic design

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Laying out the Hazel trees for planting

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CALL Tree Planting-1

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Barry O Rourke planting an alder in wet muddy conditions at Mullagh Woodland

Climate Action Louisburgh Locality (CALL) commenced their 4th native woodland project last week at Mullagh, Kilsallagh, Westport.  The group promotes the idea of extensively planting mixed Irish tree species and also provides husbandry advice and information on government financial incentives to local landowners. The CALL group was set up arising from the 2021 Decarbonisation Zone initiative of Mayo Co Council

The land in Mullagh is owned by Conor and Marcus Ryan, Westport. They are overseeing the planting of 18,000 native trees on 20 acres along the Ballyhip river, a tributary of the Bunowen river. The brothers’ motivation is to help mitigate climate change through carbon capture and to enhance nature and biodiversity.

“As a means of mitigating climate change, we decided to plant our land with native trees with support from the Native Woodland Scheme. We won’t be harvesting trees except if some thinning is needed. Hopefully over time it will develop into mature woodland which will serve as a carbon sink and enhance local biodiversity as well as providing an amenity for the local community” said Conor Ryan, a consultant ecologist.

A special ceremony was held, Saturday, February 5^th, to mark the occasion of the planting of the woodland. This was led by Deirdre Hannon from Athlone and involved planting a grove of hazel trees in what turned out to be torrential rain and gale force winds. The tree planters, other CALL members, and friends and neighbours participated undaunted and then retired for refreshments locally.

A previous native woodland project initiated by CALL is at Callacoon just a mile south of Louisburgh. This plot of 8 acres is owned by a consortium of concerned local people and was planted last year. Information on this project can be accessed at Permaculture Ireland-Video

There is also a privately owned project in Callacoon and one on Clare Island, both managed by members of the CALL group.

The CALL group was set up arising from the 2021 Decarbonisation Zone initiative of Mayo Co Council. The group has a loose membership of over a dozen local people and fosters a web of links with most other community groups in the area. As well as carbon capture and biodiversity CALL has big ambitions in other areas of climate and environmental concern, such as renewable electricity generation, energy efficient housing and “grow your own” gardening.