Woodlands

Woodlands are an important part of our heritage, culture and biodiversity.
After the glaciers had melted at the end of the last ice age, forests, first of birch, Scot’s pine and hazel then of oak and ash, began to cover most areas of Ireland.
Human settlers have gradually cleared the once extensive forests to create farm land and harvest timber.

Today the majority of Northern Ireland’s woodland is planted with conifers, which may provide good habitats for species such as red squirrels and hen harrier but are not as varied in plant and animal species as semi-natural woodland.

The European country average of woodland cover is 44%.
Only 6% of the total available land in Northern Ireland is now covered in woodland which makes us the least wooded country in Europe!

Types of Woodland

Native woodland (.PDF 1.28Mb) is one that consists of trees, shrubs and associated plants that are considered to be naturally occurring.
These woodlands can be classified as oak, mixed ash, wet woodland and lowland wood pasture and parkland.
In Northern Ireland a mild moist climate favours broadleaf trees.
Most broadleaf trees loose their leaves in winter and allow high levels of light to reach the woodland floor. This stimulates growth of woodland flowers such as primrose, wood sorrel and bluebell.

Where woodland flora has developed over time it can create a carpet of blooms in spring which is one of the most amazing examples of nature’s beauty.