Iarnród Éireann and CIÉ partner on Native Tree Seed Collection Programme

12 December 2024

Iarnród Éireann and CIÉ partner on Native Tree Seed Collection Programme, the first partnership of its kind in the Irish transport sector

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail is set to fund Irish nurseries to collect, process and grow native tree seeds for use by Iarnród Éireann and CIÉ in establishing biodiverse rich habitats under its innovative Native Tree Seed Collection Programme.

Funded by CIÉ, it is the first partnership of its kind in the Irish transport sector and an innovative plan to enhance biodiversity, support the circular economy, promote environmental protection and assist Iarnród Éireann in offsetting operational carbon footprint ensuring it becomes a cleaner, greener and more sustainable transport operator.

Showcasing Iarnród Éireann and CIÉ’s commitment to biodiversity and the environment, the Native Tree Seed Collection Programme will increase the national native seed bank, reduce the risk of disease importation and help offset operational carbon footprint.

The programme will fund Irish nurseries to collect, process and grow, through to saplings, native tree seeds for use by Iarnród Éireann and CIÉ in establishing biodiverse rich habitats on land banks, sidings and in local communities around the country and, once planted, will help offset operational carbon production and feed into the wider decarbonisation strategy for the organisation.

Iarnród Éireann has already committed to planting 100 acres (40 hectares) of native Irish woodland by 2030, this innovative Tree Seed Collection Programme will ensure availability of native stock and that any future trees and shrubs that Iarnród Éireann plant around the country will:

• Limit the risk of importing diseases
• Support circular economy principles
• Support local businesses
• Give back to the community via surplus seed and sapling production

Jim Meade, CEO of Iarnród Éireann said during today’s announcement of the programme that:

“Iarnród Éireann is committed to meeting national transport decarbonisation targets while also protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of the lands, line sides and local communities along our network. We’re committed to planting 100 acres of native Irish woodland by 2030 and the Tree Seed Collection Programme will ensure we can do so efficiently, sustainably and without threat of importing any disease which may threaten the health of local trees and shrubs potentially causing a future hazard for the safe operation of the railway.”

While Lorcan O’Connor, CEO of CIÉ said:

"The CIÉ Sustainability Fund is central to our efforts to embed sustainability across all operations. By funding initiatives like the Native Tree Seed Collection Programme with Iarnród Éireann, we are enhancing biodiversity, strengthening local economies, and supporting Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy."

Seed beds and orchards will be set up this winter to be ready for seeds and planting in spring and will include species such as Rowan, Birch, Cherry, Hazel, Blackthorn, Whitethorn and Crab Apple, Hazel, Willow, Dog Rose, Honeysuckle, Guelder Rose and Spindle. Seeds collected from this programme will always be traceable and tracked by the provenance certs attached to the seeds and trees.

Iarnród Éireann Biodiversity plans

Iarnród Éireann manages over 4000 kilometres of boundary along the national rail corridor, with 190 locations along the network interfacing or lying within designated sites of European and national biodiversity importance.

Central to the Iarnród Éireann Sustainability Strategy, Sustainability in Motion, is the protection and enhancement of biodiversity. Initiatives like this Tree Seed Collection Programme provide opportunity to enhance the environment and its biodiversity while minimising the impact that rail operations have.

• Pollinator plans will be introduced for all stations, with one third already having pollinator plans in place
  Iarnród Éireann were the first public body in Ireland to take part in the Creation of Woodland on Public Lands scheme planting 12,000 trees at Carrick-on-Shannon and Iarnród Éireann aims to plant a total of at least 100 acres at non-operational sites by 2030 – largely supported by this native seed production programme
• Infrastructure teams are equipped with the resources and knowledge to protect biodiversity, with guidelines for employees produced, and vegetation management standards reviewed
• Iarnród Éireann will continue to implement actions in support of Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (2023 -2030)
• As ash dieback, a devastating fungal disease, continues to be an issue nationally, Iarnród Éireann is committed to carrying out one of the largest ever tree surveys to identify and remove hazardous trees along the railway corridor and replant landbanks with healthy native alternatives, supported by the saplings that come directly from the Seed Collection Programme

To learn more about the Iarnród Éireann’s sustainability goals and strategy visit www.irishrail.ie/sustainability

About the selected nurseries:

Fermoy Woodland Nurseries Ltd. is a family-owned tree nursery based in Fermoy, Co. Cork. The nursery is producing trees and hedging for the forestry and horticulture sectors in Ireland, with annual production of 1 million transplants.

None-So-Hardy Nurseries is almost 40 years in business in the east of Ireland, specialising in the growing and supplying of first-class forestry plants to the Irish forestry market with capacity to produce 25 million trees per annum.