A rare ancient rainforest set to come back to life
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- Ulster Wildlife launched a 100‑year restoration programme to revive temperate rainforests at Lenamore Wood, a 41‑acre site near Gortin in Omagh.
- Ulster Wildlife planted nearly 30,000 native Irish trees—including oak, alder, and rowan—during February‑March 2026 on the Lenamore Wood site.
- Aviva committed roughly £38 million to fund the Lenamore Wood rainforest restoration.
- John Martin of the Woodland Trust noted that temperate rainforests cover only 0.04 % of Northern Ireland’s land and provide vital biodiversity and carbon storage.
- Rosemary Mulholland, head of nature recovery at Ulster Wildlife, called the multi‑century project a “privilege” despite never seeing its full completion.
Why it matters: Local ecosystems gain a 41‑acre haven for rare species, while Aviva’s £38 million investment secures carbon‑sequestration benefits and demonstrates corporate commitment to biodiversity restoration over the next century.
