Mayo communities urged to help National Acorn Gathering initiative

The Nature Trust has called on Mayo communities to help grow Ireland’s native woodlands.

This October, the organisation is running a National Acorn Gathering initiative including a gathering in Coillte’s Brackloon Woods, Knappagh, on Monday, October 21.

This community event, which takes place from 3.00pm-4.30pm, promises to be a fun and rewarding way to connect with nature while helping to expand Ireland's native woodlands one small acorn at a time.

Last year, with the help of volunteers, schools, and local communities, The Nature Trust collected thousands of acorns, weighing in at 150 kilograms. These acorns are now thriving in nurseries, ready to be planted into new native woodlands. 

This year, they are calling on the community to help gather more acorns to secure the future of Ireland's magnificent native oak.

Ciaran Fallon, Director of The Nature Trust, said: “These gatherings offer an incredible opportunity for communities across Ireland to take an active role in safeguarding our environment. As a social enterprise, our goal is to create new native woodlands at scale in Ireland. 

“Community involvement and support is key to achieving this goal. Native trees like oak don’t just look beautiful, they also play a vital role in capturing carbon and creating habitats for native wildlife. We are looking forward to increased participation in the national acorn gatherings this year. It’s more than just a fun day out - it’s a chance to make a meaningful, lasting impact on our natural heritage,” he continued.

Acorns collected at this year’s gatherings in Mayo, Kildare, Sligo and Wicklow will be sent to the Coillte tree nursery at Ballintemple, County Carlow to be weighed, graded, dried, stored and subsequently germinated to produce oak seedlings. 

They will be grown at the nursery until they are two to four years old, when they will be ready to be planted out to create new native woodlands.

Acorn Gathering 2024 will include community events and an exciting school’s initiative, featuring hands-on learning, beautiful walks through mature woodlands, and of course, plenty of acorn collecting!

Here’s where and when you can get involved:

Monday, October 21- Coillte’s Brackloon Wood, Mayo (3.00pm-4.30pm)

To take part in this gathering, visit The Nature Trust website to book your place.