Woodland Trust acquisition means new life for Londonderry landscape
10 November 2008
Vulnerable fragments of ancient woodland in L'derry will become more resilient, thanks to the Woodland Trust’s purchase of 23 hectares (58 acres) of farmland at Ervey, in the beautiful Faughan Valley, just south-east of the city.
Various studies, including the Woodland Trust’s project to create the first-ever record of Northern Ireland’s ancient woodland1, had previously identified the Faughan Valley as a natural treasure trove. With its fragments of ancient woodland, a habitat even rarer in Northern Ireland than elsewhere in the UK, the Valley is a honeypot for wildlife.
Patrick Cregg, director of the Woodland Trust in Northern Ireland, explains: “This acquisition brings a wonderful opportunity to buffer and extend the neighbouring pockets of ancient woodland. We will be planting over 25,000 native trees, linking habitats together and providing an extended haunt for our precious wildlife.
“The site is actually right beside Tamnymore Wood, with Ness and Ervey Woods close by2. This beautiful woodland complex, with its remnants of ancient woodland, is owned and managed by Northern Ireland Environment Agency. It’s home to some rare and precious species of wildlife, including buzzards, otters, pygmy shrews and endangered red squirrels.”
The Faughan Valley is no stranger to the Woodland Trust, which already cares for two woods in the area. Killaloo Wood, an enchanting bluebell-carpeted oak wood, contains pockets of ancient woodland. Then just a mile downstream is Oaks Wood, a recently planted woodland, created as part of the Woodland Trust’s ‘Woods on your Doorstep’ initiative. The Trust’s latest venture will therefore form a key piece of a large landscape jigsaw.
As well as securing a future for our precious birds, insects and mammals, the project brings opportunities for people. The land at Ervey - or Burntollet Wood, as it’s now known - is less than 10 miles from Donegal. The Woodland Trust hopes that organisations and individuals on both sides of the border will work together and make a personal, lasting contribution through the simple act of tree planting. The Woodland Trust is already working closely with Ireland’s Native Woodland Trust and is exploring opportunities with other like-minded organisations in the Republic of Ireland.
Patrick Cregg says: “The prospect of groups and individuals from both sides of the border working together is an exciting one. By uniting with others, we hope to make a real difference to the landscape and to wildlife – which after all doesn’t recognise geographical boundaries.” He continues: “We hope that as many people as possible will take part in tree planting events in autumn 2009, while schoolchildren will have the chance to enjoy a series of special woodland discovery days.”
The purchase of Burntollet Wood, one of the Trust’s largest-ever land purchases in Northern Ireland, was made possible by Northern Ireland Environment Agency and Forest Service. Support was also received from Woodland Trust members and the wider public, including an amazing boost of £150,000 from an anonymous Canadian tree enthusiast.
To find out more visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/burntollet
Ends
Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
Kaye Coates at the Woodland Trust on 028 9127 5787, email kayecoates@woodland-trust.org.uk or
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail media@woodland-trust.org.uk
1Ancient woodland: Ancient woodland is land continuously wooded since at least 1600. The Trust, through its Back on the Map project, researched and recorded ancient and long-established woodland in Northern Ireland for the first time ever. Results show that Northern Ireland’s ancient woods are small, fragmented and sadly disappearing fast. Our ancient woodland covers only 0.08 per cent of the Northern Ireland landscape (by comparison ancient woodland covers two per cent of Britain). You can find out more at www.backonthemap.org.uk
2Location of land at Ervey and the nearby woodland habitats
The land at Ervey is located eight miles south-east of Londonderry. It borders Tamnymore Wood and is within close proximity to Ervey and Ness Woods. The three woods collectively form Environment and Heritage Service’s Ness Wood Country Park and contain fragments of ancient woodland.
Nearby, along the Faughan River, there are two woods already in Woodland Trust ownership – Killaloo Wood, which contains fragments of ancient woodland, and Oaks Wood.
The Woodland Trust:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
Here in Northern Ireland the Woodland Trust cares for 52 woods. These woods contain a mix of newly created community woodland, mature woodland and ancient woodland.
