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Ireland’s Big Rewilding Project First of its Kind in Western Europe

Wild Nephin project aims to create 27,000 acres of unique wilderness landscape


Mayo County, IrelandPhoto by Anthony HickeyIreland has designated 27,000 acres of bog, mountain, and forest land in Mayo County as the country's first wilderness area.




























Lenny Antonelli
Lenny Antonelli is a journalist based in Ireland who covers the environment, science and the great outdoors. He is deputy editor of the green building magazine Passive House Plus, and writes regularly for The Irish Times. He is currently working on a radio documentary about Ireland's ocean ecosystems. His personal website is at

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Hi Leo, thanks for your comment. I definitely think in the long-term one of that most interesting things about the Wild Nephin project is that it potentially creates a very logical area for the reintroduction of native species — somewhere large, remote and uninhabited, with a mix of habitats.

On the particular species you mention, though, I think there is some doubt as to whether some were ever native to Ireland. For example I don’t believe there’s any evidence beavers ever made it here, I think Michael Viney wrote about this in the Irish Times last year.

I don’t know about wildcats like in the ones in Scotland, but I believe only set of lynx remains has ever been found In Ireland, which has led to some doubt over it was native here or whether this one individual might have been, for example, an exotic pet.

Wild boar did live here of course, though some authorities suggest they were introduced by the Celts rather than spreading naturally. Still, it’s exciting that feral populations are once again roaming some of our woods.

You might find this interesting:

Certainly, if we ever thought seriously about reintroducing the wolf to Ireland, the Nephins would certainly be a logical place to do it.

By Lenny Antonelli on Mon, May 12, 2014 at 6:45 am

With so much wild land we can reintroduce some of the animals that became extinct in Ireland. I know they are thinking of bringing back black grouse but what about wild boar, lynx, wildcats and beavers? these animals would all have a good effect on the ecosystem, especially the boar and beaver. beavers would create still water behind their dams creating habitats for insects and amphibians, boars would clear the ground so that new plants could grow beneath the canopy. I would love to see these animals back in the new rewilding area and so would many others.

By Leo Whieldon on Sun, May 11, 2014 at 12:04 pm

The notion that humans can ‘re-wild’ anything is fundamentally daft. Just call these projects ‘parks’ and be done with it.

By Audrey Mac Cready on Mon, February 24, 2014 at 4:21 pm

Michael Maunsell,

You are correct that this area of north Mayo is a managed-anthropogenic landscape for thousands of years. Quite a lot of people seem to see the treeless Irish uplands as a natural landscape in contrast to confer plantations. Its actually the converse. Much of this blanket bog area supported pine cover until overgrazing and climate change lead to bog formation. pollen in north Mayo shows this. A mosaic of pine forest is a more natural vegetation cover then open blanket bog. If sheep and rhododendrons can be excluded and birch, willow etc will allow complete naturalisation. What important about wild nephin it setting aside commercial land for this purpose.

By Robert Power on Mon, November 11, 2013 at 7:38 am

Dear Michael, thank you for your detailed reply to my article. You raise something very worthwhile points and I’d like to address them one by one as best as I can.

1. Regarding the project’s stated goal of protecting a large wild landscape, I did acknowledge the anthropogenic nature of this landscape in my article, in reference to sheep grazing, forestry etc. In one sense I was merely stating that the goal of the project was to both create and protect a large wild landscape, I wasn’t necessarily endorsing the wildness of the landscape myself — at least not from an ecological point of view. However, there are some assessment tools that would regard Wild Nephin as a wild landscape, particularly those focused on recreation rather than ecology. For example, the US Recreation Opportunity Spectrum, which was used to assess the landscape of Wild Nephin before the project was launched, ranked much of the area as “primitive” or “semi-primitive” based on factors such as the lack of roads and buildings, and the lack of human artefacts visible from viewpoints etc.

2. Regarding the term re-wilding, you are correct in the sense that this is more of a wilding project than a re-wilding project, as it is not aiming to restore a past landscape. I was probably wrong to just casually use this buzzword.

3. I can understand the argument that huts, trails and signposts etc should not be constructed, but I’m not sure I agree. I would certainly hope that no more than a few huts are built, and that trails are kept natural-looking and minimal. However, in my personal opinion I think there are two good reasons to put in some fairly primitive huts and trails  — one is to control erosion and environmental impact from visitors, and the other is to encourage people to get out and explore and engage with this landscape.

4. I agree to an extent that the project is borrowing from a North American model, though I wouldn’t say the “huts and trails” model is exclusive to that continent — mountainous regions in Europe and Asia do likewise. Can I ask, what might a “North Mayo” equivalent be? I think the reality is that Ireland has little culture or history of wilderness recreation compared to the US, for example, so in a way we’re starting from scratch. But I don’t have too much of an issue of us borrowing a bit from other countries, as long as the work is done sensitively.

That said, I was annoyed at some of the recent upgrade work on the Bangor Trail just north of the Lough Avoher hut, as the trail seems much more obtrusive now. Hopefully it will recede a bit into the landscape with time and wear.

5. Regarding rhododendron, I have been told by Coillte that controlling the species is part of the 15 year plan for Wild Nephin.

6. On the issue of land abandonment, I should have used the term “wilderness campaigners” instead of “environmentalists” — they are not necessarily the same thing, of course.

The question of how or why to conserve a habitat or landscape is obviously a highly fraught one. Is biodiversity the highest goal? What if a landscape is managed with grazing for floral biodiversity at the expensive of allowing woodland to re-establish — woodland that might provide better habitat for larger mammals, bigger birds etc? I’m not asking these questions of you, just trying to raise the complexity that exists in this debate, which I’m sure you’re well aware of.

Nevertheless, I do believe that research exists pointing to non-intervention approaches leading to more biodiversity. I’ve emailed one of my contacts for links to specific papers, but here is one that I know of:

The return of wolves to Yellowstone would be another example of how a more self willed, unmanaged landscape has knock-on benefits for the entire ecosystem:

But it goes without saying that I’m always in favour of more research and study and believe it’s essential for any decision making about the conservation and the environment. 

Kind regards,


By Lenny Antonelli on Thu, November 07, 2013 at 10:27 am

I read your article on the Wild Nephin project with interest, and wish to make a number of observations. 
As stated in the article, the “Wild Nephin” project has three core aims: to protect a large wild landscape, re-wild the forest, and provide a “primitive” wilderness experience for visitors.

Regarding aim 1 “to protect a large wild landscape”.  The landscape in question is, and has been, a managed-anthropogenic landscape for hundreds, if not thousands of years, it is not a “wild landscape” by any stretch of the imagination.
Aim 2: “re-wild the forest”. The forest was never a “wild” forest, it was planted with non-native tress as a crop by the State, for commercial purposes.  How can the Coillte establish when or how it achieves a “re-wild” status? 
Aim 3: “provide a “primitive” wilderness experience for visitors”.  If the aim is as stated, why are trails and associated infrastructure being constructed on site? Why are recycled plastic posts being erected, Why has a hut been constructed on site? Why are there plans for campsites? as stated at the “Wild Nephin” conference by the project manager.

The management of the area appears to be based on an American National Park model, as presented at the “Wild Nephin” conference. One has to question the appropriateness of such a model being applied in Mayo.
The article failed to mention the serious issues of the spread of Rhododendron ponticum in the wilderness area, and the apparent lack of a management plan for this non-native invasive species by both Coillte or the National Parks and Wildlife Service.  The natural regeneration of R ponticiun currently taking place on site will result in decline and loss of native species.

Regarding the claim in the article that land abandonment is viewed by “environmentalists” a positive move for wilderness. One has to ask who or what is an environmentalist? If one states that he or she is an “environmentalist” does that imbue one with knowledge of environmental science, processes and systems?  If so why bother with research?  Is one to assume, as implied in the article, that land abandonment and a hands off approach in protected area management is a positive move for biodiversity conservation?  Will such an approach protect and enhance biodiversity and the ecosystem services on which society depends? If so, on what research or evidence is this claim based?

Kindest regards
Michael Maunsell
Mountain Research Ireland.

By Michael Maunsell on Fri, October 25, 2013 at 3:43 pm

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