Conservation and education at a Sligo woodland thanks to a... local shopping centre
Ray Ó Foghlú and Jon Dunt, centre manager at The Canopy. Picture: Vincent Monahan / Duck Upon Rock Productions
A shopping centre’s efforts to be more green haven’t stopped at solar panels and recycling bins — one Sligo mall has put nearly 90 acres of woodland on its 'shopping list'.
The Canopy (formerly Johnston Court Shopping Centre) in Sligo has teamed up with conservation and nature restoration charity Hometree to create a permanent native woodland with the aim of promoting land regeneration and biodiversity.
Full agency of nearly 90 acres of land along the Easkey River in South Sligo has been given to Hometree to conserve and to use as a hub for environmental engagement and addressing the climate crisis.
Ray Ó Foghlú is project lead on Hometree’s Wild Atlantic Rainforest project. He acknowledged that a partnership between a tree-planting charity and a shopping centre “is an unusual mix” but said they are thrilled with the way a local business is making a meaningful contribution to biodiversity — it's "an amazing collaboration".
The land, situated about six kilometres from Easkey, primarily consists of peatland along with blanket bog, pockets of ancient hazelwood, and species-rich grassland.
The Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project operates along Ireland's western seaboard — its core objective is to restore 'pockets' of temperate rainforest habitat.
Ó Foghlú says he and some of the Hometree team have walked this Ballyfarney site and were delighted to see it includes about 10-15 acres of ancient hazelwood.
Hazel is a native Irish tree which means it was one of the first plants to colonise this country after the last glacial age. This particular woods may be a relic of those 10,000-year-old forests.
Ó Foghlú says they have already spotted wood anemone, sorrel, pig nut and hazel gloves fungus which are all good news. For example, hazel gloves fungus (hypocreopsis rhodendri) is an Atlantic rainforest specialist and can indicate a wood's ancient origins as it grows almost exclusively on old hazel trees and is a good sign of clean air.
Key conservation objectives for Hometree include liaising with experts for peatland restoration and the natural expansion of the old hazelwoods, with a comprehensive plan in place to restore species diversity.
“Projects such as this are crucial given the drastic decline in native woodland in Ireland from 80% to 1-1.5%.”
Ó Foghlú says: "We hope this location will become a showcase site for us and that local landowners will see what is possible. We have plans for a farmer outreach programme here, providing information and financial support for woodland creation along the Easkey River."
Ó Foghlú says they envision the site as a “social utility for the broader community, including biodiversity groups, school groups, and farm groups”. There may also be general public access in a year or two and eventually there may also be gangways built linking some sections but for now it's still at the planning and outlining stages.
It’s not all happening outdoors either — after a €1 million rebrand and makeover, The Canopy shopping centre on Sligo's O’Connell Street has had numerous trees and plants included in the decor.
Centre owners, Neil and Vincent Monahan, said: “This is such an exciting project with Hometree —we are focused on driving a sustainable agenda both about the centre and for Sligo as a whole.”
Hometree began in a small community garden project in 2014. Now Hometree staff and volunteers have planted more than 150,000 scots pine, willow and alder trees.
Hometree also has other projects around the country including eight acres at Gowlane in Cork’s Lee Valley. Some other projects are:
- Ennistymon HQ Site — 16.5 acres of land between Ennistymon and Lahinch, County Clare
- Illaun Restoration Site — an old plantation forest; on a 16-acre farm near Miltown Malbay, West Clare
- Avoca Site — a 2.3 acre wet grassland at Knockanree, County Wicklow
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