In a city better known for its pavements and brick facades, small forests are quietly reclaiming space. Along canals, behind schools, and in forgotten corners of parks, Pocket Forests, a Dublin-based initiative founded in 2020, has been turning overlooked plots into thriving mini-woodlands. These small ecosystems form part of a wider movement to rewild urban environments, bringing native biodiversity back into the heart of developed areas. Pocket Forests follows a straightforward approach: plant dense clusters of native trees and shrubs, enrich the soil with composted urban waste, and allow nature to take the lead. Within a few years, these sites support birds, pollinators, and small mammals, creating microhabitats within the city. “Our goal is simple,” co-founder Catherine Cleary explains, “plant dense, native forests wherever we can, and watch the city transform.”
As Dublin expands, its green spaces continue to shrink, and the psychological and ecological costs have become hard to ignore.
People are increasingly craving green spaces, not just manicured lawns, but living, breathing ecosystems. Concrete absorbs heat, reduces air quality, and fragments the ecosystems that once surrounded the city. Research from Environmental Agencies and Universities show that well-planted urban areas can reduce local air temperatures by up to 4°C, absorb carbon, and improve mental well-being. Even 15 minutes spent in such spaces can reduce stress and improve concentration. In a city of noise and busy schedules, a pocket forest can feel like an exhale. Urban rewilding meets both ecological and human needs, responding to a growing awareness that environmental change must occur. The shift is not merely aesthetic; it represents a rethinking of how urban nature is valued, from ornamental landscaping to functioning ecological infrastructure.
Urban rewilding first gained traction in the 1990s and has since evolved into a global movement. Pocket forests are just one branch of this effort taking shape. In four years, Pocket Forests has launched over 100 official projects across Ireland, with many more community-led forests appearing independently. Each forest acts as a stepping stone across fragmented urban landscapes, allowing native flora and fauna to move and thrive. By planting species such as oak, birch, hazel, and rowan, these woodlands improve soil health and biodiversity within a few seasons. A single pocket forest might cover only a few square metres, yet they’re collectively reshaping the urban landscape.The result is living infrastructure that strengthens ecological resilience and enhances the urban environment.
Cities across Europe are following similar paths. The Netherlands has created over 250 “Tiny Forests”, Glasgow and Birmingham are transforming roadside verges into pollinator corridors, and Paris now allows residents to plant directly on their streets. Each initiative reflects a shift in urban design that places ecology and public well-being at its centre. Dublin’s approach stands out for its community focus. Many sites are developed and maintained through collaboration between residents, schools, and volunteers. Pocket Forests runs workshops and educational programmes, turning small plots into outdoor classrooms where participants learn about soil health, native species, and biodiversity. To many Dubliners, these projects offer an opportunity to interact with nature beyond formal parks.These projects strengthen local stewardship and environmental awareness, creating new opportunities for people to engage directly with the ecosystems around them. Native plantings also reduce the spread of invasive pests and diseases, support pollinator populations, and create cooler, greener neighbourhoods.
Despite growing public support, policy action has not kept pace. Dublin City Council’s Climate Action Plan 2025 and Ireland’s National Biodiversity Action Plan (2023 to 2030) both commit to expanding green infrastructure, yet implementation has been slow and inconsistent. A 2023 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review found that only 38 per cent of local authorities had active biodiversity initiatives, with many citing funding and staffing shortages as major barriers. This uneven progress leaves most rewilding projects dependent on volunteers, grants, and private sponsorship. While community efforts such as Pocket Forests have shown what can be achieved on limited resources, they also reveal the lack of a long-term policy framework to support or scale these successes. If Dublin is to integrate rewilding into its urban fabric, it must move beyond short-term initiatives and establish rewilding as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and public health.
Urban rewilding also challenges long-held ideas of what a “clean” or “well-kept” city should look like. For decades, public policy has prioritised neat lawns and trimmed hedges, often at the expense of biodiversity.
Rewilding proposes a different aesthetic, one that values natural growth, seasonal change, and coexistence with the wild. Participation is not limited to councils or NGOs. Individuals can take part through community planting events, volunteering, or supporting biodiversity initiatives on campuses and in neighbourhoods. Many of Dublin’s universities now include rewilding projects in their sustainability programmes. Even small actions, such as sowing wildflowers or allowing ivy to climb, help expand habitats. In this way, urban rewilding isn’t confined to city planners or environmental groups; it’s a movement everyone can join.
For those interested in seeing rewilding firsthand, or just in need of somewhere to touch grass after exams, these are just a few sites that offer an easy escape into the city’s growing green network. Each is open to the public and easy to reach by bike or bus:
- Sean Walsh Memorial Park, Tallaght – Three community forests planted in 2020; a good example of collaborative restoration.
- Inchicore Urban Forest, Dublin 8 – A small but thriving site along the canal, planted in 2021.
- St. Anne’s Park, Raheny – Features rewilded corners and native wildflower sections complementing older woodland.
- Phoenix Park Nursery, Dublin 7 – Hosts workshops and native sapling projects in partnership with Pocket Forests.
- Grangegorman Pocket Forest, TU Dublin Campus – A student-accessible site linking campus and community efforts.
Dublin’s rewilding projects show that meaningful ecological change can begin in the smallest spaces. These forests are not decorative; they represent a shift in how cities understand growth and sustainability. With consistent policy support and continued public engagement, Dublin’s patchwork of green could evolve into a connected network that benefits both people and nature, creating a city that is cooler, more biodiverse, and better for human well-being.
