Last month, Guaranteed Irish invited the founding members of the Guaranteed Irish Forest to partake in an extraordinary endeavor - an Acorn Gathering event in the Ballygannon Wood. The event marked a significant step towards fostering sustainability and biodiversity, and its impact promises to reverberate far beyond the serene woodlands of Wicklow.
The Acorn Gathering Event
In the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, Guaranteed Irish and its members took a step forward in fostering sustainability and biodiversity, when as part of the Guaranteed Irish Forest initiative, they took part in an Acorn Gathering event organised by The Nature Trust in Ballygannon Wood, where 150kg of acorns were collected.
Ballygannon Wood is part of the Wicklow Oakwood, the second largest Oak forest in Ireland. It is a ‘Mast Year’ for the wood, which is period of exceptionally high acorn production by oak trees. Mast years for oak trees only happen every 5-7 years depending on past and present weather conditions as it takes a lot of energy for the trees to produce its seeds. Guaranteed Irish and its members were invited to collect the acorns that will become Oak saplings that will be planted all over the country in woodlands like the Guaranteed Irish Forest.
Declan Conlon from Wavin Ireland, a supporting member of the Guaranteed Irish Forest said: “We had a really special day in Ballygannon Wood at the Acorn Gathering. It was fantastic to see and learn about the circularity of the woodland and it is amazing to think that these small acorns will one day become the impressive Oaks that we are so familiar with in Ireland. We’re delighted to play our part in supporting the Guaranteed Irish Forest Project and creating a legacy for the generations to come.”
Clémence Jamet, Guaranteed Irish Sustainability Manager, who participated to the event, reflected: "At Guaranteed Irish, we recognise the vital role of native woodlands in preserving our unique biodiversity. Through planting native Irish trees and collecting acorns, we actively contribute to restoring our native woodlands and promoting a more biodiverse Ireland. We appreciate the support of our members, including Wavin, Cedral, Homevalue, Kingscourt Brick, and Kaymed, who fund and champion this project. Their involvement reflects a shared commitment to nurturing Ireland's natural heritage, and we invite others to join us in supporting Irish native trees.”
The Guaranteed Irish Forest Initiative
The Guaranteed Irish Forest is one of Guaranteed Irish’s commitment to fostering biodiversity in Ireland and raising awareness on climate change mitigation as part of their alignment to the Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate change. The Guaranteed Irish Forest will be planted with native Irish trees such as oak, holly, birch, alder, rowan, and hawthorn. Native woodlands are hot spots for native biodiversity, they support a rich ground flora and fauna including insects, birds, and small mammals. Currently, only 11% of our country is covered by forests, with just 2% under native woodland. The Guaranteed Irish Forest project aims to plant around 40,000 tree saplings over three years, covering approximately 14 hectares. This forest will become a public amenity for local communities, fostering enjoyment for future generations.
For more information visit Guaranteed Irish Forest initiative.
The Acorn Gathering event was organised by The Nature Trust as part of their 3-year partnership with Guaranteed Irish to establish the first Guaranteed Irish Forest.
