Coillte to absorb the work of Coillte Nature into its Coillte Forest division
Coillte remains fully committed to its climate action, nature and biodiversity goals and will ensure a fully integrated approach to all nature and biodiversity projects going forward
In light of the strategic vision for its forest estate, Coillte has decided to absorb the work of Coillte Nature into its existing and larger Coillte Forest organisational structure.
Given the scale of Coillte’s strategic vision, specifically its climate and nature ambitions to 2050, this reorganisation will enable Coillte to significantly increase its delivery of climate and nature restoration projects. By leveraging its economies of scale, Coillte aims to ensure a fully integrated approach to all nature and biodiversity projects going forward thereby effectively delivering on its long-term ambitions.
Coillte Nature was set up in 2019 as a team within Coillte, dedicated to nature restoration projects of scale across Ireland, which was a new area of focus for the business at that time. However, since then, Coillte’s strategy has evolved significantly. The need for a separate Nature team has been superseded by the overall Coillte strategic vision for the forest estate, announced in 2022, which seeks to deliver multiple benefits from Ireland’s state forests, bringing more focus to climate action, setting ambitious new targets on biodiversity and recreation, while continuing to deliver for the forest and wood products industry.
Coillte is positioned to play a leading role in the delivery of solutions to the climate emergency and biodiversity loss. Its strategic vision is underpinned by 11 ambitions, which by 2050 will see Coillte create new forests, half of which will be native woodlands, manage its existing forests for greater carbon capture, redesign 30,000 ha of Peatland Forests for climate and ecological benefits, enhance and restore biodiversity by increasing the area of the estate managed primarily for nature from 20 to 30% by the end of 2025 and to 50% in the long-term. Coillte is also targeting to support the creation of new homes by delivering sustainable Irish wood products and is increasing the number of recreational spaces across Ireland for people to enjoy.
Coillte remains fully committed to its climate action, nature and biodiversity goals, which need to be financially underpinned by a strong commercial forestry operation. It will continue to support the restoration, regeneration and rehabilitation of nature across Ireland within the framework of the overall organisation.
Coillte is committed to ensuring that its Coillte Nature stakeholders continue to receive the highest level of service.
The Nature Trust
The Nature Trust is a not-for-profit entity founded in 2021 by Coillte and Forestry Partners (a social enterprise), to create native woodlands in Ireland. Coillte provides woodland management and other services to the Nature Trust and is committed to continuing this work. The Nature Trust generates funds from corporates for ‘Woodland Credits’ which are used to fund the acquisition, planting and maintenance of Native Woodlands for a period of over 100 years.
Coillte’s Strategic Vision Ambitions to 2050 are outlined below:
