Life & Style

Nature Diary: Take a wonderful woodland walk

Fallen leaves make for beautiful strolls while also creating habitats for small creatures

Autumn pleasure: the crisp feel of leaves underfoot. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien

Sylvia Thompson's face
Sylvia Thompson
Sat Nov 4 2017 - 06:00

Consider a walk in a broadleaf woodland this weekend to enjoy the last of the crisp leaves underfoot.

While broadleaf or mixed woodlands make up less than one-quarter of all Irish forests, oak, beech, chestnut, sycamore and lime trees are well-represented in urban and national parks.

Native Irish woodlands also provide a much greater range of ecosystem services

The key value of deciduous trees is that their leaf and branch structure allows light through so an under-storey of shrubs and plants can provide habitats for small animals, insects and birds.

Native Irish woodlands also provide a much greater range of ecosystem services (such as preventing floods and soil erosion) than coniferous plantations. All this makes visiting them more interesting. Massey’s wood in Rathfarnham, Dublin; Avondale Park and Powerscourt Estate in Co Wicklow; Belvedere Gardens in Co Westmeath; Charleville Estate in Co Offaly; and the JFK Arboretum near New Ross, Co Wexford are excellent places to enjoy autumnal colours and textures. See coillte.ie for list of forest parks open to the public.