Magilligan Tree Nursery is a pioneering environmental and social project delivering locally grown native trees, ecosystem restoration, and rehabilitation opportunities for people in custody at HMP Magilligan. It is uniquely positioned, supporting Action Renewables’ charitable purpose to:

• Advance environmental protection and improvement through climate‑positive action, energy‑efficient practices, and reduction of carbon emissions.
• Advance public education in environmental sustainability and climate mitigation.

By producing native trees, supporting landscape recovery, lowering Northern Ireland’s reliance on imported stock and providing environmental education to inmates and communities, the nursery delivers concrete, measurable climate, ecological, and social benefits directly aligned with the Action Renewables’ vision of “a Northern Ireland which recognises the serious impacts of climate change and takes measures to prevent and mitigate those impacts.”

Climate Action & Carbon Reduction

Magilligan Tree Nursery directly supports climate action and carbon reduction through nature based solutions for carbon sequestration through woodland expansion

The nursery produced 35,000 native trees and achieved 8.5 hectares of new woodland and 4 km of hedgerows in 2025/26. Each native tree contributes to long‑term carbon sequestration and helps create climate‑resilient habitats but also has positive impacts on biodiversity.

By supplying locally grown, peat‑free native trees, the nursery reduces emissions associated with transportation and the carbon footprint linked to imported stock and damage to peatlands by using peat free compost.

The work that the nursery team have undertaken through increasing native woodland, riparian (riverbank), and hedgerow restoration helps to provide flood mitigation, riverbank stability and erosion reduction and also water quality improvement. These cornerstone climate‑adaptation measures are recognised within environmental best practice frameworks.

The nursery provides unique and unparalleled opportunities for climate education & behaviour change through their work with inmates. However they also have a strong group of volunteers who are also engaged in learning about regenerative low impact horticulture and tree growing methodologies and sustainable land‑management methods. This provides both groups with a greater understanding of nature-based solutions for climate adaption and mitigation.

 

Ecological Restoration & Biodiversity Enhancement

Woodland cover in Northern Ireland is only 8.7% of land area which is one of the lowest levels in Europe. Of that 8.7%, 54% is commercial non-native conifer plantations which are ecologically poor while 46% are broadleaf woodlands. Magilligan is at the forefront of trying to increase the quantity of ecologically rich woodland habitat by growing trees from locally collected seed. Over 67 kg of native seed from a range of species was collected across 10 volunteer seed‑collection days in 2025/26. These seeds are processed and propagated using peat‑free, organic, low‑impact and sustainable methods. Reducing reliance on imported trees even from the Republic of Ireland lowers disease transmission risk which is essential as Northern Ireland faces rising threats from ash dieback and other pathogens.

 

Social Impact & Education

Magilligan Tree Nursery delivers a unique programme of transformational rehabilitation and inmates gain practical horticultural training, environmental knowledge, work experience, confidence and improved wellbeing. The prison very recently received a very positive report from HM Inspectorate of Prisons and it was cited as “one of the very best prisons in the United Kingdom.”

Testimonies from inmates are also really positive and demonstrate genuine change:

“This has boosted my belief and confidence in my abilities.”

“I created my own calm… my forest.”

Furthermore the nursery staff engages with a range of volunteers, including youth groups and Scouts to participate in seed‑collection, processing and planting, learning about climate impacts and ecological restoration.

With BBC coverage through the Chronicles of the Foyle airing in April 2026, the nursery will be a prominent public example of climate‑positive social innovation.

 

More to follow…

 

Author: Mike McClure, Landscapes NI