Operation Biodiversity aims to plant over 450,000 native trees and hedgerows by 2025

Tirlán FarmLife and its family farm suppliers have set an ambitious new target of delivering 450,000 native trees and hedgerow plants to enhance the Irish countryside through the Operation Biodiversity programme.

Last year, the Operation Biodiversity initiative reached its original 100,000 tree and hedgerow target 12 months ahead of schedule. To celebrate, Tirlán donated 10,000 native Irish trees to its farm family suppliers, customers and community groups.

At the recent launch of Tirlán’s latest iteration of the programme, Tirlán Chairman John Murphy attributed the success of Operation Biodiversity to the enthusiasm and willingness of farm families working to enhance and protect the land for themselves and the generations to come.

“Operation Biodiversity has helped enrich our landscape and provide much-needed food and shelter for our native wildlife since its launch in 2020. Every native Irish tree and hedgerow planted builds on the ongoing biodiversity work that farm families are already doing as custodians of the land,” he said.

Seán Molloy, Chief Ingredients & Agri Officer at Tirlán, said: “We reached our original 100,000 target in record time. This shows the clear and unequivocal momentum behind our Living Proof sustainability strategy and the appetite for biodiversity and climate action on family farms and in the community.

“We’re proud of what we have achieved to date and look forward to working with our suppliers and in our communities to reach these new targets, which also align with the increased environmental ambitions of the next CAP from 2023 onwards.”

Specially selected planting packages

As the tree and hedgerow planting season opens, horticulturists and employees across Tirlán’s 52 local stores, including our 14 CountryLife Garden Centres, are helping farm families pick the right hedging plants and trees for their individual farms, providing shelter and food for wildlife while also boosting their sustainability credentials.

To help drive this initiative Tirlán FarmLife has committed to delivering excellent value, including low-cost bundles, along with providing horticultural expertise to help guide on selection of trees and hedging and planting.

Through Operation Biodiversity, the excellent value bundles include a hedging mix of native Irish hedgerow plants specially selected by Tirlán FarmLife horticulturalists. Each bundle includes Blackthorn, Whitethorn, Hazel and Alder and covers approximate 12 metres of hedging.

The specially selected, rich species tree bundle includes a mix of Birch, Alder, Oak and Mountain Ash trees. Both packages are available through the Tirlán FarmLife network of branches and Tirlán CountryLife garden centres.

“There’s space for nature on every farm and I’d encourage farmers to talk to our team of experienced horticulturalists and discuss the best tree and hedgerow options to boost biodiversity on their farms. Every tree planted makes a difference,” said Chairman John Murphy.