Creating Ponds & Nature Reserves in Ireland

We were delighted to hold a special eventing with the inspiring, multi award winners Gilly Taylor & Brian O’Toole from Wildacres, Social Enterprise, Co. Wicklow - Monday Nov 24th 2025

 

The evening focus was on a presentation from their own success story at Wildacres and encouraging others to CREATE A POND or A NATURE RESERVE (OF ANY SIZE!) and how these actions would enhance Biodiversity by creating habitats for our native flora and fauna!

Wildacres nature reserve and biodiversity education centre was once 4 fields of heavily grazed pasture and is now teeming with wildlife. On the night it was highlighted how since 2017 Gilly Taylor and Brian O’Toole have transformed the land into a beautiful haven for wildlife by creating habitats for our native flora and fauna.

Since 2017, the duo have won numerous awards for their work in transforming 17 acres of intensively farmed conventional and highlighting from their own experience, how regardless of whether you have your own garden, acres of land, or a community space, you can learn how to bring biodiversity back through managed land, water and habitat restoration. The evening presentation showcased the learning involved in undertaking this work and the several ways to do it, inculding the wonderful wildlife species you can expect to return.

Wildacres are an Environmental Social Enterprise dedicated to biodiversity restoration, protection, monitoring, and education, with a mission to inspire and help others to make a positive difference for the environment and their well-being. They host a range of engaging and entertaining nature-based tours and interactive workshops for individuals, community groups & clubs, and corporates.

The evening included an inspiring visual presentation from over 7 years of dedicated work and the multispecies recorded at their Wildacres enterprise, showing before and after landscapes, which was followed by Q&A. Wildacres is a multi-award-winning Nature Reserve and Biodiversity Education Centre set on 34 acres, having recently extened their initial 17 acres enterprise in 2025, by purchasing a further 17 acres near by. The initial property is bordered by the beautiful Redcross river, close to Brittas Bay in Southeast Wicklow and just one hour south of Dublin City Centre.

The first Pond built at Wildacres in 2017

Wildacres on site nature restoration work include:

• 65+ wildlife ponds (kitchen sink size to football pitch size)

• 8 acres of native woodland

• 14 acres of native wildflower/wild grass meadow

• 1-acre traditional orchard and tree nursery

• 2km of native hedgerow

• Almost 1 km of river riparian zone of the Redcross river, a stunning meandering stream

& Many more biodiversity initiatives that we heard about on the night!

We wish to extend our hugh gratitude to Gilly and Brian for sharing such a vivid and illuminating account of the beauty of our native flora and fauna as captured at Wildacres and highlighting that when people care they can make a difference.

To attend one of thier educational tours and workshops or for more information on their work please visit wildacres.ie

As a Social Enterprise all proceeds from tours, walks, workshops, courses and products go directly towards biodiversity protection, restoration and education through the Wildacres Nature Reserve Project. 

Wildacres are open almost year round hosting educational tours, workshops and various volunteering events