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December 19, 2023 — Thousands of years ago, oak, ash and hazel trees blanketed with moss and ivy grew from a teeming understory of fern, willow and scattered mushrooms, nearly completely covering Ireland in lush green layers. That was before Vikings began pillaging Irish monasteries and chopping down trees to build their notorious raiding fleet. It was before the English felled Ireland’s forests to construct vessels bound for distant shores. Centuries of deforestation for lumber and agriculture reduced Ireland’s forest cover from 80% to around 1%.
Ecological Concerns
Coal sequestration
Balance and ecology
Institutional change
Community forestry
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