The 200-300-year-old oak trees are the stars of Tomnafinnoge Wood. Oak woods support a vast network of life, including fungi, flowers, insects, birds, and mammals.
The ivy that covers many of the trees is very important to the woodland environment. It flowers in autumn and provides fruit in winter, giving pollen, berries, and shelter to wildlife when these are hard to find.
A woodland’s growth is often determined by the forgetfulness of the jay, a colourful member of the crow family. It collects acorns and hides them in the soil for when food is scarce. Every forgotten acorn is an opportunity for a new oak tree to grow.
Tomnafinnoge Wood hosts a number of great-spotted woodpeckers, which have recently naturally returned to Ireland from across the Irish Sea. The pine marten, a mammal about the size of a cat that lives in trees, is also found here. It came close to extinction in Ireland as it was once hunted for its fur. It is now making a comeback as a protected species.
Amazingly, in the soil underfoot, trees are connected by fungal strands that link tree roots together. This mycorrhizal network, known as the ‘Wood Wide Web’, is thought to allow trees to share nutrients, receive extra water and even communicate to other trees when they are under attack from insects.
Tomnafinnoge Wood is included within the Slaney River Valley Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The River Derry runs through the woods on its way to the Slaney.
Citizen Science
Citizen science plays a critical role in mapping populations of pine martens. If you see these or other mammal species such as squirrels, please upload the sightings to Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal using the Biodiversity Capture App.