ReWild Volunteers Wanted.

Invasive Removal Day at Altidore Demesne, near Kilpedder.

Saturday 18th January, 10 am.

Hi all ReWild volunteers.

This is a really fun and exciting event that we’ve been discussing with the owners of the Altidore Castle and Demesne for some time and we can’t wait to show you this magnificent estate!

This 200 acre estate has been organic since 1994 and was recently a national finalist in the RDS Woodland Conservation Award 2024 and a finalist for the National Heritage Week Sustainability and Climate Award 2023. The castle opens as a historic house to the public and the owners also run various biodiversity events as well as a forest school separately being based there.

Altidore Demesne contains a fifteen hectare glen that has been in woodland for many centuries, it is featured on the list of Ancient and Long Established Woodlands compiled by ESRI Ireland. It has unusual bryophytes such as Dumortier’s Liverwort, Altidore is the only place in Wicklow this is currently found. The river that runs through this woodland has been designated a “Blue Dot” high quality status river. There are also three native woodland plantings which are now approaching maturity, having been planted eighteen years ago.

The project we are going to help with is clearing invasive cherry laurel shrubs in the Long Established woodland in the glen. Cherry laurel is an evergreen, glossy shrub that out-competes native species and suppresses regeneration by forming thick stands. Due to its invasive nature it has spread considerably in Altidore and the owners are very appreciative to get volunteer help to tackle it and protect their historic woodland.

No previous experience necessary but a bow saw, loppers or similar cutting tooling will help and we will have plenty of spares as well.

If you are free to join us just enter your email on this Google form here.

I will forward full details directly to those that it suits on the Friday before with an update on the weather and the exact location for parking.

Warm regards,

  Danny Alvey, Chairperson ReWild Wicklow