AS PART of National Tree Week, CELT, an environmental education organisation, hosted a community tree planting event at the Slieve Aughty Centre on Saturday.
By Emily Ross
This event was a small but significant part of an ongoing collaboration between CELT and the Slieve Aughty Centre to restore biodiversity and promote sustainable land use in the region.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Martina Finn, an education coordinator with CELT, explained the organisation’s origins and goals, “CELT was founded in 2001 in East Clare, driven by a local community interest in reviving traditional skills that had been lost over time,” she shared. “There was a growing concern about the environmental degradation caused by changes in land use, industrial agriculture, and a lack of awareness about the importance of protecting the natural environment. That’s where CELT stepped in, aiming to educate people on the need to reconnect with nature and revive traditional, sustainable practices”.
CELT’s educational focus includes using locally-sourced natural materials for traditional crafts like basket-making, leather work, and herbal medicine, which once formed the backbone of rural life. These skills, rooted in a deep connection to the land, are increasingly rare today but continue to be celebrated through CELT’s initiatives.
The tree planting event was a major highlight, but it is just one part of CELT’s broader, long-term partnership with the Slieve Aughty Centre. “This project is a new venture in collaboration with the Slieve Aughty Centre,” Martina explained. “It’s part of a larger educational initiative focused on nature restoration, biodiversity, and afforestation. The goal is to create a working model where landowners and farmers can learn how to restore natural habitats and biodiversity on their own land”.
The project will showcase sustainable practices, providing a real-life example for farmers and landowners on how to incorporate biodiversity restoration within agricultural landscapes. Key to this initiative is the focus on restoring native trees and hedgerows. “We’re committed to using only native species—hawthorns, blackthorns, willows, oaks, birches, and alders,” Martina said. “These trees are essential to supporting hundreds of species, which ultimately fosters the biodiversity we’re working to protect”.
While the aim isn’t to transform the entire 17-acre site into a native woodland, the project will restore pockets of land to their natural state, including wetlands and ponds, while still maintaining the area’s agricultural function. This balance could be pivotal in offering a solution to the dilemma of how to mitigate climate change without disrupting Ireland’s vital farming industry.
Martina highlighted the historical significance of the area, “Slieve Aughty was once renowned for its native woodlands, but today, much of it has been replaced with non-native trees,” she said. “This project aims to bring back what was lost and restore the great forest of Aughty—both for environmental and cultural reasons”.
She noted the striking contrast in tree cover between Ireland and other European countries, “Thousands of years ago, Ireland was 80% woodland, but now we’re down to only 2%. In comparison, most European countries have about 25% native woodland. We have a long way to go”.
In addition to its work with the Slieve Aughty Centre, CELT collaborates with a range of organisations, including Abhainn Dá Loilíoch and Tuamgraney Community Development, to promote agroforestry—the integration of trees into agricultural practices. This approach helps farmers manage land sustainably while increasing tree cover and supporting biodiversity.
“Trees are critical in mitigating climate change,” Martina explained. “They capture carbon, prevent flooding by slowing water runoff, and provide essential habitats for wildlife. That’s why restoring tree cover is a crucial nature-based solution to climate change and environmental challenges”.
With this project, CELT is playing a key role in helping to combat climate change and restore Ireland’s natural landscapes. By promoting agroforestry, native woodland restoration, and broader environmental education, CELT is helping to create a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.
