A social enterprise entirely operated by volunteers in south Kerry is on a mission to cultivate 100,000 native Irish trees by the close of this decade. Local Roots Kerry is dedicated to fostering and advocating for locally-owned woodlands and hedgerows to bolster biodiversity and sustainability. The group undertakes the collection of seeds, propagation, and distribution of certified Irish provenance trees, while also offering practical assistance and encouragement for community-led woodland establishment.
The genesis of this project can be traced back to 2023, when Debbie Reynolds and her husband Hugh acquired a 5-acre plot near Killorglin with the intention of tree planting. Debbie, a co-founder of Local Roots Kerry, drew inspiration from a visit to the Clare-based nature restoration charity, Hometree, which is also engaged in tree planting efforts. “Receiving positive feedback and gaining the confidence to move this initiative forward, I carried that spirit back home with me,” she shared with Agriland. In October 2023, the couple seized the opportunity presented by the new Native Area Tree Scheme (NATS) launched as part of the government’s Forestry Programme. They enlisted the expertise of a certified forester, as mandated by the scheme, to evaluate their 1-hectare plot and submit the application to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
“We always had a vision of planting those trees with our loved ones. We preferred to exclude contractors from the process, which meant we had to personally gather the trees,” Debbie explained. “In January, after receiving the green light to proceed, I embarked on a journey from Kerry to Wicklow, then to Clare, and back to Kerry to collect my trees. My SUV was brimming with bare root trees, totaling around 1,300. The scent of the Scots Pine still lingers vividly in my memory to this day!” she recounted. “Over three weekends, we planted those trees on our site with the help of friends and family, and the recurring sentiment was ‘I wish this happened more often,’ ‘We’d love to do more.’ Many inquired about how they could contribute. It was from this sentiment that Local Roots Kerry was born. It was the sense of being part of a greater cause. We all felt that the government’s pace wasn’t swift enough for us; we wanted to take action ourselves,” she added.
In order to supply trees under the NATS and other schemes, the trees must be of Irish origin and traceable. Consequently, some Local Roots volunteers chose to become certified seed collectors, enabling them to obtain permission from DAFM and landowners to gather seeds. Once collected, the seeds are allowed to germinate before being planted in the Local Roots polytunnel and outdoor beds. Once the trees reach a suitable size, they are redistributed back to the community. “Our aim is to involve our community in the growth and local planting of trees. Our members are given first access to what we cultivate, and then we extend to the broader community. Any surplus trees we produce are shared with Free Trees Ireland and potentially other organizations, ensuring that the trees we nurture find a home in Ireland, ideally in Kerry,” Debbie elaborated. She emphasized the preference for Kerry due to the belief that locally grown trees thrive better in their native environment, benefiting from the specific soil and climate conditions of the region.
In addition to supplying certified trees for DAFM schemes, Local Roots Kerry also aims to assist with planting efforts. “As we rely entirely on volunteers, we hope to assemble a group of members willing to plant annually,” Debbie stated. In this inaugural year of tree cultivation, Local Roots will focus on providing alder and birch trees. However, in the future, they plan to collaborate more closely with foresters to supply trees required under schemes such as NATS and Agroforestry. Apart from government schemes, Debbie envisions the initiative encouraging individuals to plant trees or hedgerows on a smaller scale in their gardens. She also advocates for farmers to consider enhancing hedgerows on their land holdings.
Community engagement is a central aspect of Local Roots Kerry’s ethos, as they host community days for people of all ages on the second Saturday of most months. The most recent event involved the construction of outdoor beds, sowing seeds in the polytunnel, and the installation of owl boxes crafted by students from the local Intermediate School, Killorglin. “For us, it’s about coming together, fulfilling necessary work, and having a bit of fun. It’s all about the craic, really!” Debbie remarked. Transition year students from local schools visit the site weekly to assist with tasks like mulching.
While there isn’t a definitive endpoint for the project, Local Roots has set an “ambitious” target of cultivating 100,000 native Irish trees by 2030. “It’s not just about the trees and the community; it’s also about biodiversity. Native trees support a greater diversity of insects and birds, a fact often overlooked,” Debbie emphasized.
