The Wild Woodland
67The Wild Woodland
Wild woodlands are not necessarily everyone's favorite place. Sometimes it's because we shudder when we pass by them because of the old fairy tales where the dark wood represented an evil presence; Hansel and Gretel leaving the breadcrumbs as their only means of finding their way back out of the forest. And people that live in towns have a built-in fear of the unbridled and uncontrolled nature of the wild woodland.
The wild woodlands that we see by our roadsides often are
impenetrable to everything but the smallest or most tenacious
creatures. They have often been neglected for years and exude a dark,
secretive aura. It's this intense secrecy, the veiled threat that
panders to the childish fears in every one of us. It is recognized by
everyone who has ever read the Wind in the Willows.
Unbridled
In her book,
a Pagan place, Edna O’Brien describes the intense dark woods that she
had to pass on her journey to school every morning: "the ground inside
was shifty, a swamp where lilies bloomed. They were called dog-lilies.
The donkey went in there to die and no wonder because the shelter was
ample. No one would go in to bury it. It decomposed."
Unfortunately
in modern-day Ireland, as in Britain, the "natural looking" edges of
our woodlands are strewn with rubbish, garbage thrown out of cars by
passing townies, big black bin liners full of god knows what,
fertilizer bags, and I have even come across a dead cow that someone
didn't want to go through the normal channels to dispose of.
The
sad truth is that unless the forest is used for some kind of commercial
gain, for timber production, or hunting game, nobody really cares. Even
the government doesn’t recognize most of these places as a nature
reserves.
This happens in some of our most beautiful, and most
visited, tourist attractions. How many times have I seen signs pleading
with visitors to take their litter home, only to find a stack of
rubbish dumped out of a now-tidy-car, festering right there underneath
the sign.
But these small bits of neglected forest are the
only areas of potential natural woodland that we can visit most
frequently, because they are on our doorsteps. They are the places we
should be able to walk through with our dogs. Natural woodland is the
perfect tranquility for a late afternoon stroll, to clear your head and
gather your thoughts, to escape from prying eyes and walk hand-in-hand
with the one you love. Their value should be more appreciated before
the landowners tidy up and plant Sitka Spruce. Forestry in
Ireland, like most other places on the planet, is planted for the
purpose of making money. Some landowners, especially the state
authority Coillte, are opening up their forest for public access. I
would encourage any forest landowner to do the same.
Wild Woodland Related Hubs and Blogs
- Forestry In Ireland
I just wanted to write a bit about what I do for a living here in Ireland. I am what is called a tree surgeon. Basically that means I look after the health of trees.I started out in forestry about 20 years...
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Great work, Jack - Ireland has some of the most beautiful forests that I have had the privilege to walk in. The attitude towards littering in Ireland is a crying shame, so good luck in raising awareness.
Now, we have to do the same with the Greeks.....
Woodland News
- 60 new woodlands announced to mark Queen's Diamond Jubilee - The Independent
BBC News 60 new woodlands announced to mark Queen's Diamond Jubilee The Independent Sites for 60 new large woodlands marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee have been announced by the Woodland Trust. The "diamond woods" will each be at least 60 acres, or more than one and a half times the size of the grounds at Buckingham Palace, ... Woodland Trust reveals 60 Diamond Jubilee Wood sitesBBC News Woodland Trust celebrates 60 years with 60 woods of 60 acres eachHorticulture Week Sixty new woodlands sites to mark Queen's Diamond JubileeITV News Scotsman -Herald Scotland -Peace FM Online all 2,466 news articles » - 2 hours ago
- Woodland has rough Memorial first round - Topeka Capital Journal
Woodland has rough Memorial first round Topeka Capital Journal Topeka native Gary Woodland also had a difficult first round, shooting a 5-over 77 in a round that included four bogeys and a double bogey. The Shawnee Heights and University of Kansas product will need a good second round to make the cut, ... and more » - 7 hours ago
- Woodland's Coleman ready for state track and field meet - Daily Democrat
Woodland's Coleman ready for state track and field meet Daily Democrat A few hours later, the Woodland High School senior produced back-to-back personal bests on his final two shot puts, including a best of 53 feet, 2 inches, giving him third place and a spot in the CIF State Meet. Today when Coleman competes in the state ... - 3 hours ago
Forest Ireland
Forest Ireland specializes in opening footpath access through dense, overgrown forests and woodlands.













Teresa McGurk 2 years ago
More! How about a hub on the Ash? I'm enjoying your stuff on forrestry, and I've been looking at your other hubs, too (been there, done that also).
Is there not a forrestry protection provision in Ireland? I'm from Belfast, so I think I've seen such areas in the North -- Tullymore Forest, for example. You've found a great niche here for hubs -- good on ya!