National Tree Week: Irish Tourism Leads The Way In Nature Restoration
Irish tourism is emerging as a powerful force in native woodland restoration, reforestation, and nature‑positive travel, helping to regenerate landscapes that once supported more than 80% forest cover. Today, with Ireland’s woodland area standing at roughly 11% with less than 2% native cover – the lowest in Europe – tourism businesses, community groups, and conservation partners are stepping up to reverse centuries of ecological decline. However, tourism businesses are being proactive and are embracing its role as a steward of Ireland’s natural heritage.
From guided eco‑experiences that bring visitors into biodiverse woodland habitats, to regenerative tourism models that actively support community‑led tree planting, Ireland’s tourism industry is demonstrating how travel can directly contribute to biodiversity enhancement, carbon sequestration, habitat restoration, and more resilient ecosystems. With growing public engagement, government-backed restoration programmes, and a nationwide shift toward sustainable practices, Irish tourism is proving that responsible travel can play a transformative role in restoring Ireland’s native forests for generations to come. After all, if 82% of international tourists are coming to Ireland for the natural, unspoilt environment, it’s important we the Irish tourism industry protects it.
Here are a few examples of our inspiring members and what they have been up to in relation to nature and woodland restoration:
Portmagee Whiskey Distillery
Through Burren Beo Trust’s Hare’s Corner Project Portmagee Whiskey has been able to grow Irish Heritage Apple trees grown to saplings with Irish Seed Savers, forming part of their community orchard leading into our native Irish woodlands trail. They have also planted over 200 acorns, supplied by Hometree with the aim of planting a legacy for future generations.
Killeavy Castle Estate
Killeavy Castle Estate have been investing in an ambitious 15-year long Landscape Restoration Project. They have already planted 27,000 native broadleaf trees, Scots pines, and shrubs like hazel and hawthorn on their estate with the aim of planting 50,000 trees on the slopes of Slieve Gullion by 2034. The £1.5 million plan focuses on regenerating woodlands, hedgerows, heather and grasslands on the estate’s mountainous terrain, introducing native species to support local biodiversity, and building resilience to climate change. The project is a collaboration with Northern Ireland Forestry Service and The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland, and as mentioned on their website “it aims to transform Killeavy Castle Estate and its surroundings into a haven for nature while enhancing eco-tourism and recreational opportunities”.
Vagabond Tours Of Ireland
Vagabond Tours offer an option to guests when booking with them to ‘Plant a Native Tree In Ireland’ to improve biodiversity and increase carbon capture through their stay and choosing Vagabond. For this project, they partner with Trees on the Land, a local reforestation initiative that works in the 32 counties. Once a year the team is brought out on a tree planting day, taking a hands on part in restoration projects on farm, private land and even in hospitals like the National Rehabilitation Hospital which is creating more calming green spaces for their patients, their families and staff.
Brigit’s Garden
Brigit’s Garden holds some stunning and such peaceful old woodland areas and keeps some of these areas free from visitors to preserve the spring flowers in the ground layer. For their planted woodland areas they encourage natural regeneration of shrub and field layers, remove briars to encourage establishment of ground layer plants, and use seed saved on site to help this process. They cut hedgerows minimally and away from the nesting season, allowing some hedgerows to spread naturally. They have specific management of their blackthorn areas to allow for the Brown Hairstreak butterfly to flourish.
Kylemore Abbey & Walled Gardens
At Kylemore Abbey they have a designated Biodiversity Officer who has developed a biodiversity action plan offering an overview of planned actions, aims, and implementations regarding the preservation, restoration, and promotion of biodiversity on the 1000 acre Estate. They also have a woodland conservation volunteer programme which runs on the Estate and have a rhododendron removal plan in place – they even allow guests to get involved too!
Gregans Castle Hotel
Over the past 30 years Gregans Castle Hotel‘s tree planting has created a new habitat for birds and other wildlife attracting species such as native Irish Red Squirrels and Long-eared Owls. They have planted 650 native trees on the grounds. 600 of these were planted as part of the Burren Pine Project which seeks to restore the almost extinct native Burren Pine tree to various sites around the Burren. Guests can also get involved by sponsoring the planting of these trees and €15,000 was raised for the Burrenbeo Trust landscape charity.
The Ross Hotel & The Killarney Park Hotel
The Ross Hotel & The Killarney Park Hotel both work with Hometree in Ireland and pledge hundreds of trees annually.
Abbey Group & Moloney & Kelly
Moloney & Kelly, Abbey.ie and Abbey UK are all members of the Burren Beo Trust, Irish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Wildlife Trust and John Muir Trust. They support these initiatives financially with funds raised through regular company events organised by the social committee and the sustainability contributions of our clients, included in our offers. They plan going forward to give clients different options of nature protection and conservation projects to which they can contribute too.
The Ardilaun Hotel
The Ardilaun Hotel in Galway has a garden on site where native plants and trees are planted such as Hawthorn, Foxgloves, Alder, Bluebells, Daisies, Holly, Birch, and Weeping Willow.
A Touch Of Ireland
A Touch of Ireland (ATOI) has pledged their ongoing support to the creation of a biodiversity corridor through planting trees on Glen Keen Farm in Co. Mayo.
Powerscourt Estate
With the sustainability slogan, ‘Working with Nature’, Powerscourt Estate has been planting the seeds of inspiration when it comes to biodiversity and nature conservation. Between their events such as the ‘Wonder of Trees‘, educating visitors about the importance and varying species of trees, to their Nature Awards celebrating other restoration and conservation initiatives, they are building moment in the woodland protection area. They also supported the ‘100 Million Trees Project’ by helping to plant 2,500 trees on the Estate this year on International Women’s Day.
Learn International
At Learn International, for every 10 students they bring to Ireland, they plant two trees, aiming to plant 2 trees for each student within the next two years.
Fuchsia Lane Farm
In February 2025, Fuchsia Lane Farm partnered planted 1000 hedgerow saplings, native trees and a traditional heritage orchard.
Hotel Solutions DMC
Through a partnership with Grown Forest, Hotel Solutions DMC has planted two oak trees in its name and 10 other native species on behalf of the business.
Frosch, Clontarf Castle Hotel & Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown
Frosch, Clontarf Castle Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown have both become part of Crann, working with them on tree planting projects in conjunction with our corporate guests and local schools
