Most of the trees will be planted by a professional company at staged intervals during the winter in order to maximise efficiency of bringing the equipment on site. But there will be other locations on the plantation that will be planted with a spade!

The plantation has a combination of confer and broadleaves planted which provide natural shelter and a food source for a myriad of birds, animals, insects and plant life. 

There is also approximately 8km of hedgerow which is preserved and is being maintained to ensure that it remains healthy and vibrant.

Finally at the northern boundary, a wild meadow has been planted with seeds from natural wild Irish flowers that will attract pollinators such as bees, wasps, and butterflies.

We are planting a mixed woodland of conifer and deciduous trees as we believe that sustainability must deliver environmental, social and economic benefits.

The woodland should have a commercial value for it to be used as a construction material as a substitute for more carbon intensive products like cement and steel.

The woodland should have an environment impact in terms of the carbon it can sequester; conifer species tend to sequester more carbon than deciduous species.

Woodlands should have a social impact for people to spend leisure time in.  Hence we have chosen to plan a mixed woodland which we believe delivers on these 3 objectives. 

Our blends are sourced from 100% Rain Forest Alliance certified plantations. One of the cornerstones of a Rain Forest Alliance plantation is that exploitation of coffee growers and workers is not tolerated and in particular child labour or abuse of young workers in terms of school attendance and / or long working hours is completely forbidden. Rain Forest Alliance is an international organisation (incorporating UTZ) with the aim of preventing rainforest deforestation, smarter environmental farming and socially sustainable practices for growers and communities. 

Fair trade tends to focus on guaranteeing a minimum price for a commodity in the event the market price for that commodity drops below a price which it can be sustainably produced.

Rainforest Alliance has a wider remit that aims to prevent rainforest deforestation, promoting more sustainable smarter agricultural techniques that complement the environment and promoting social sustainability for growers and communities by preventing exploitation and improving investment. 

Woodland Coffee is not greenwashing, we have actually gone out and bought a 30 acre plot of agricultural land with the sole purpose of converting this to woodland. This is a meaningful endeavour and commitment that will require looking after for 40 plus years as the trees mature; from simple things like making sure that public liability insurance is paid, rubbish is cleaned up and walkways are maintained in a safe manner. Woodland coffee is not a fleeting idea or fad, Woodland coffee is a legacy that will deliver benefits now and for generations to come. Once our site in Pallasgreen is planted we plan to buy another location and start over again. 

Quite simply, it is the right thing to do. Our customers wanted a more sustainable coffee solution, we wanted a vision that we can aspire to and be inspired by; we have the interest in doing it, we have the means to do it, so we’re doing it!