“Our first reforestation project is deep in the River Ow valley just beyond Aughrim in Co Wicklow.. 300 years ago this was part of the famous Tinahely oak woods which was clear-felled under British rule in the 1600s.
In 1606 it was reported to the crown that Britain’s shipbuilding requirements could be supplied by the Tinahely woods for 20 years. Many British merchants at that time preferred to have their boats built with Irish wood in Ireland. After the great fire of London in 1666, the Tinahely Woods were further deforested to rebuild London, in fact using Tinahely wood in Dublin was outlawed as it was in such short supply. By 1700 forest cover in Ireland was down to a meagre 2% and it was said: “they had not left enough wood to make a toothpick”.
Wolfgang is now reforesting this land to its former glory as a Native Irish Woodland.
We estimate we’ve space to plant a further 20,000 fast-growing native trees here with the help of our supporters. Once we’ve reforested this land, the funds raised in doing so will allow us to acquire another larger plot to reforest.”