Coillte’s Dublin Forests To Become Recreation-Only Sites

All nine of Coillte’s forests in the Dublin area are shifting to non-commercial recreational use. This means an end to commercial operations in the forests, leaving them to be used by walkers and other outdoor enthusiasts. It should also result in more biodiverse and global warming-resilient forests.

The nine Coillte forests named for conversion include Ticknock, Kilmashogue, Ballyedmonduff, Massy’s Wood, Hell Fire Club, Cruagh, Tibradden, Barnaslingan, and Carrickgollogan.

The scope of the project is far-reaching and will be the largest of its kind ever carried out in Ireland. More than 600,000 people visit these forests every year, making them some of the most visited outdoor attractions in the country.

Coillte Nature, the non-profit arm of the forestry company, is leading the project with work to commence this summer of 2020. According to Coillte, “These forests will have significant benefits for nature and public health and wellbeing in the long term.”

Better For People. Better For Nature.

Dr Ciarán Fallon, Director of Coillte Nature, said: “Coillte Nature is proud to be collaborating with the Dublin Mountains Partnership on this ambitious and high-profile initiative and looks forward to delivering the Dublin Mountains Makeover and ensuring that the people of Dublin enjoy the benefits for generations to come.”

Until now, Coillte has managed these areas primarily for commercial purposes. The transformation will create a mosaic of forest types and will increase the species, age and structural diversity of the area. This will make the forests better for people and better for nature, ensuring beautiful diverse forests for generations to come.