Iveragh Woodlands EIP
The Iveragh Woodlands EIP aims to support farmers to conserve existing woodland and increase tree cover within their farm systems
The Iveragh Woodlands European Innovation Partnership (EIP) has received funding to restore, conserve, and expand native woodlands in the uplands of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry using a landscape-focused, farmer-centred, and ecologically coherent approach.
The Iveragh Woodlands EIP is a four-year initiative led by Hometree and funded by the Department of Agriculture under the 6th EIP-Agri call. The project aims to restore, conserve, and expand native woodlands in Ireland’s uplands, particularly across the Iveragh Peninsula.
At its core, this project recognises two converging challenges:
An inadequate policy environment: Current forestry rules and land designations (notably under Natura 2000) make it extremely difficult to create or restore native woodlands in upland areas. Silvicultural regulations, limited scheme eligibility, and long approval times all contribute to stagnation in woodland conservation.
Diminishing farm viability: Upland farming systems are under significant economic and demographic pressure. This EIP aims to provide new income streams for farmers by enabling them to stack payments for nature restoration and native woodland stewardship on top of their existing enterprises.
Wooded islands like this one in Cloonaghlin show the potential of native woodlands in the Iveragh landscape
The Vision
This project proposes a new model for upland woodland restoration that complements existing farm systems and supports rural communities. With an estimated target of 300 hectares, the Iveragh Woodlands EIP will focus on restoring old-growth remnants, facilitating natural regeneration, and, where needed, planting local provenance native saplings.
The evaluation panel noted that this project will help to address a national challenge to increase uptake of the Native Woodland Scheme at farm level. This project will also build on previous successes within the EIP Programme, including in Hometree’s Farm Forest EIP.
Where is it happening?
The project is based on the Iveragh Peninsula in South Kerry, encompassing a wide stretch from the Reeks area east of Killarney right out as far as Waterville and Derrynane. Priority sites will be selected based on three key factors:
Presence of old or emerging native woodland
Ecological potential for restoration
Willing and interested landowners
Remnant woodlands such as these in the uplands of the peninsula need active intervention to allow them to regenerate.
How will it work?
There will be an open call for landowners to express interest. The project will select 8 to 10 high-potential woodland zones where it will undertake site-specific restoration plans. Each selected site will receive:
Full ecological assessments plus drone and LiDAR scanning
Tailored restoration management plans
Results-based scoring and monitoring
Restoration Strategies
The project will prioritise natural regeneration wherever possible. Where seed sources are available, nature will do the work. Where seed sources are absent or degraded, judicious planting will occur using local provenance stock grown in collaboration with nurseries across Iveragh.
The project will also experiment with returning woodland flora and fungi, as well as rare or lost species such as aspen and juniper. Enrichment planting will focus on restoring full ecological function, not just tree cover.
Wilson’s filmy ferns like these in south Kerry are indicators of oceanic climates that support temperate rainforest
Herbivore Management
The project will implement a holistic herbivore strategy, excluding sheep through fencing and managing deer and goats through coordinated, community-led hunting. Instead of relying on costly deer fencing, a system of landscape-scale wild herbivore management will be deployed by Adam Smith and Cillian Murphy, incorporating training, check-ins, and biological data recording.
Farmer Participation
Participating farmers will receive:
Capital support for restoration actions
A participation fee
Ongoing payments linked to ecological results
A results-based methodology will be developed or adapted to assess the health and trajectory of woodland recovery, including indicators such as regeneration, species composition, and invasive control.
Existing native woodlands on the Iveragh peninsula
Staff and Delivery Team
The core team will include:
A local project coordinator
A project manager
A dedicated ecologist
Administrative support
Contracted experts for technical, social, and cultural strands
Community and Culture
A central thread of the project is cultural engagement, inspired by Hometree’s existing Dinnseanchas programme. Events will include walks, talks, storytelling sessions, and workshops to reconnect communities with their woodland heritage. A demonstration site at Oolagh West will host skills training and restoration trials.
Policy and Future Pathways
Farmers in upland areas often find it nearly impossible to access support to protect existing woodland, and outright excluded from schemes to create new woodlands. The Iveragh Woodlands EIP exists to change that. By demonstrating ecologically coherent, socially beneficial, and economically viable models of woodland recovery, the project hopes to pave the way for policy reform and future support mechanisms.
Conclusion
The Iveragh Peninsula is home to some of the largest remaining old-growth native woodlands in Ireland. This EIP is about finding ways to protect what remains, restore what’s been lost, and ensure the people who live and farm these landscapes can be part of that future. By stacking restoration on top of farming, we create a landscape that works for biodiversity, climate, water, and community.