Woodland Management at Kippure Estate
Springtime for every element of life is a time of renewal, hope and growth. The sap rises as nature comes out of its winter slumber; the first signs of lush green emerge from the soil.
Over the past month here at Kippure Estate, our young woodlands have been experiencing a new season of growth. Kippure Estate has approximately 150 acres (60 hectares) of mixed deciduous and native conifer woodlands, a true testament to our efforts of practicing eco-friendly and sustainable afforestation. Our 240-acre estate has some old-growth stands of Irish oak and over the past 10 years we have planted up to 125 acres ourselves.
Kippure Estate is a true gem of nature as it’s located in a valley bordered by the Wicklow Mountains National Park. Observing the surrounding mountain tops on clear mornings or in the evenings as the sun sets is an awe-inspiring occasion. From Kippure Estate’s property you can cross the bridge over the young River Liffey into the National Park. At 62,000 acres (25, 000 hectares), it is Ireland’s largest national park. Wicklow Mountains National Park is home to remnants of an old oak and native Scots pine forest as part of the strikingly beautiful Coronation Plantation planted in the 1830s by Lord Downshire.
Despite Kippure Estate’s efforts to conserve and sustain native tree species, we have been faced with challenges. In the past 10 years, growers of native trees, such as us, have been the witnesses to tree damage caused by mammals, such as non-native Sika Deer, rabbits and hares who chew the seedlings’ foliage and stalks. Many of these animals live in the National Park’s mountains and peer down below into the valley to look for young trees. It’s as if their eyes continuously take note of young plants vulnerable to browsing.
The natural world is a battleground where each organism fights to survive. Deer and hares are looking for nourishment while fragile, young deciduous trees are fighting to become established. Here at Kippure Estate we have tried some eco-friendly management strategies, such as extensive deer fencing. The time and expense involved in implementing deer prevention techniques, without harming any wildlife, has been costly and it is disheartening when efforts fail.
We at Kippure Estate are constantly investigating the most ecologically sound management practices in order to strike an ecological balance. We don’t only want to conserve native tree populations for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the native animal and rare bird populations that depend on them and also because they are intrinsically valuable. The need for balance in nature is of the ultimate importance, and at Kippure Estate we constantly strive to achieve this goal.