Rainforest Fundraiser FAQs
A pocket of rainforest hidden in a valley.
Why does Ireland need rainforest restoration?
Ireland is facing a biodiversity crisis. Less than 2% of Ireland is covered by native woodland, and only fragments remain of the temperate rainforest that once flourished along our Atlantic coast. It’s one of the rarest habitats on Earth. Fragments of Atlantic rainforest still survive in sheltered valleys and ravines, but most of the land that could support them has been cleared, drained or overgrazed. Restoring these ecosystems is vital for biodiversity, clean water, healthy soils and climate resilience.
The majority of our most important habitats are in unfavourable condition and insect, bird and many native populations are in rapid decline. Under the EU Nature Restoration Law, Ireland must now restore nature at a scale and pace never attempted before.
What is the Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project?
The Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project is Hometree's most ambitious nature restoration initiative yet. We're working to protect and restore 4,000 acres of land across the west of Ireland, helping native woodlands, peatlands, rivers and wildlife to thrive, while creating opportunities for local communities to participate in nature restoration.
It launched in 2022 with the aim of restoring 2,000 acres in charity ownership and 2,000 acres in partnership with neighbouring landowners.
It is the first phase of Hometree’s strategic plan, working towards our vision of Ireland as a thriving, resilient, all-island ecosystem with vibrant, ecologically engaged communities.
Can you explain Hometree’s Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project Model?
The project is built on a simple model. Hometree buys strategically chosen sites across the west of Ireland. Each one becomes a restoration hub, with impact rippling outwards across the surrounding landscape. Owning these hubs allows us to:
Restore nature directly, delivering landscape-scale restoration on land we manage for the long term.
Demonstrate what restoration looks like, showing neighbours, communities and policymakers the benefits on the ground.
Become part of the community, as a local landowner and stakeholder that is accessible, relatable and invested in the region’s future.
Create places for connection, where volunteers, schools and communities can learn about nature and take part in its recovery.
Build capacity, developing the skills, nursery stock and delivery teams that restoration across the region depends on.
From each hub, we work with a wider network of farmers and landowners. We support them to identify and restore important habitats on their own land, with funding for works such as fencing and planting, and a financial return for doing so.
What will the money actually fund?
Funding will support land acquisition, native woodland restoration, peatland rehabilitation, invasive species management and long-term ecological protection. It will also help us establish community nature hubs where people can learn about and participate in restoration.
Is this about just planting trees?
No. Restoring rainforest is about restoring entire ecosystems. Depending on the needs of each landscape, that might mean planting native trees, allowing natural regeneration, removing invasive species, restoring water systems or protecting existing habitats.
Why is Hometree buying land?
We know that buying land alone will never deliver nature recovery at the scale Ireland needs. So we buy judiciously, choosing sites where we can achieve the greatest ecological impact and the strongest engagement with the landowners around us. Ownership gives us a foothold; partnership gives us reach. This is how we will work towards our 10-year strategic goal of supporting 57,500 acres into restoration for nature, the vast majority of it in partnership with landowners rather than in Hometree ownership. The Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project is the first major step on that path.
About the funding and IIP
Can you explain the match funding opportunity?
Hometree has been allocated €14.7 million through the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to support our Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project. However, to access this funding, we must first raise additional funds ourselves - €3.9 million in total by November 19th.
This creates an extraordinary opportunity: every donation helps us close the funding gap and unlock a much larger investment in nature restoration across the west of Ireland.
Our public fundraising target of €1 million is a vital part of this effort. By coming together, we can help secure funding to protect and restore thousands of acres of Ireland's precious landscapes for generations to come.
What is the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP)?
The IIP was a Government of Ireland programme that enabled non-EEA investors to support approved projects in Ireland, including projects delivering social and environmental benefits. The programme closed to new applications in 2023.
Where does the IIP money come from?
The IIP is funded through contributions from individual investors applying for residence in Ireland under the programme. The funding is associated with approved projects that meet the programme's requirements. It is not taxpayer money.
Why do you need donations?
The IIP funding requires Hometree to secure additional funding to unlock the investment. We have a time-sensitive opportunity to raise the remaining funds and deliver one of the largest nature restoration initiatives ever undertaken by an Irish charity.
Every euro committed towards the €3.9 million requirement unlocks more than three euro of capital investment for nature, with €14.7 million flowing directly into the restoration of Ireland’s precious habitats. Opportunities like this do not come again. With your support, we can turn it into thousands of acres of thriving native woodland in the west of Ireland.
Why are you trying to raise €1 million?
We're asking the public to help us raise €1 million towards the funding gap. This is the first time in Hometree's history that we've launched a public fundraising appeal of this scale. Every contribution helps us move closer to securing this extraordinary opportunity for Ireland's landscapes.
Why is the fundraising deadline so urgent?
The funding opportunity comes with deadlines and conditions that we must meet. Raising the necessary co-funding within this timeframe is essential to accessing the larger investment and progressing the project.
Will my donation go directly towards restoring nature?
Your donation will help fund the Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project, including the practical work, land protection, infrastructure and long-term management needed to restore healthy ecosystems.
What happens if we don't reach our €1 million fundraising target?Every donation makes a difference. While reaching our target is important to help unlock the larger funding opportunity, if we don't get there, your contribution will still support Hometree's vital nature restoration work. Every euro raised will help us protect and restore Ireland's precious landscapes, regardless of whether we reach our target.
What is the structure of land ownership and forestry management?
Land ownership sits with the Registered Charity. Forest management is integrated as part of our site's wider Restoration Management Plans and is led by our team of in-house ecologists and foresters.
Who owns Hometree?
No one owns Hometree. It is a company limited by guarantee with no shareholders, registered with the Charities Regulator (RCN 20206254) and holding charitable tax exemption (CHY 23020). It is governed by a Board of Trustees.
How else can I help?
Sharing our fundraiser with friends, family and colleagues is hugely valuable. The more people we can reach, the greater our chance of meeting this ambitious target. If you know anyone who might want to make a bigger contribution, you can reach out to our CEO directly. Contact details are at the end of our fundraising page:
rainforest fundraiser.
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