Avoca Site
Avoca Site
Acres: 2.5
Location: Outside Avoca Village
County: Wicklow
Purchase Date: 2021
When four friends came together to look at what they could do to support in restoring Ireland’s woodlands in 2020, they saw their goals and passion aligned with that of Hometree. With that came the drive to support Hometree’s expansion into the east of Ireland. That four grew into a steering committee of six, who worked diligently with the early Hometree team to fundraise for the acquisition of Hometree’s only Leinster site.
Overview: The Avoca site represents Hometree’s first expansion into Leinster and is a significant milestone in their mission to restore Ireland’s native woodlands. Located just outside Avoca Village in County Wicklow, this 2.5-acre site is a critical space for outreach and education in the region, helping to engage people in the journey toward nature restoration and conservation. The land had been left largely untouched for 30 years before Hometree became stewards, allowing nature to reclaim what was once an agricultural field. Now, the site features wet grassland, expanding hedgerows, young woodland, and the Cronebane Stream, a tributary of the Avoca River, which despite ongoing pollution from historical mining, adds to the area’s ecological connectivity.
Current Condition: The Avoca site is rapidly transitioning into a young woodland, thanks in part to the contributions from Hometree’s Avoca volunteers and participants of the corporate team-building and ESG days. When acquired it was largely covered in a variety of fast-growing species such as bramble, gorse, and bracken. These species are being managed to allow more diverse plant communities to establish and to speed up the natural transition to woodland. Oaks, birch, and holly have already begun establishing themselves, showing the early signs of this transformation. The site’s hedgerows are growing, and the wet grassland is teeming with life. The Cronebane Stream, which borders the property, plays a vital role in connecting this small woodland with others in the area. Overhead, Wicklow’s recently reintroduced Red Kites can be seen teetering and gliding through the sky on a daily basis. Their presence is a testament to earlier nature restoration work in Wicklow and provides inspiration for the work at Hometree.
Vision: The goal for the Avoca site is to create a diverse and thriving ecosystem that also serves as an educational hub. Hometree plans to support the site’s natural regeneration, working to enhance the existing pioneer species while introducing more native trees such as oak to restore the ancient woodland that once dominated lowland Wicklow. Non-native species such as sycamore, will be managed and removed to ensure the success of native species. Additionally, efforts will be made to exclude fallow deer from the site to protect young saplings. The Cronebane Stream will be a key focus for riparian woodland restoration, further enhancing the area’s biodiversity. In time, this site will also include a species-rich pollinator hedgerow, a native wildflower meadow, and regenerating woodland, offering a space for people to connect with nature while supporting important conservation goals.
