Corporate / Community
We are an Environmental Social Enterprise dedicated to biodiversity restoration, protection, monitoring, and education. Our mission is to inspire and help others to make a positive difference for the environment and their well-being.
We host a range of engaging and entertaining nature-based tours and interactive workshops for individuals, community groups & clubs, and corporates.
Our Story – Gilly Taylor and Brian O’Toole
Brian grew up in South County Dublin with access to a beautiful native woodland and meandering stream. It is there that he spent much of his spare time as a youth, forming a deep connection to, and knowledge of, the natural world, which ignited a lifelong passion for nature conservation.
Gilly also grew up in South Dublin and has always been drawn to the great outdoors, from the mountains to the sea, both in Ireland and abroad. In later life she has developed a deep interest in our native biodiversity and actions to restore and protect it.
While working in the corporate space for many decades, we became increasingly aware of the global biodiversity emergency and began discussing what we could do to make a positive difference.
In Autumn 2017, we bought 17.5 acres of undulating agricultural land in Southeast Wicklow, on the beautiful Redcross river, with a plan to transform it into a Nature Reserve and Biodiversity Education Centre.
Gifting the land back to nature, restoring its natural habitats, and establishing Wildacres as an accessible, sustainable, and unique wildlife sanctuary, education centres and visitor experience, has been the focus of our attention since then.
ACRES DEDICATED WILDLIFE HABITAT
NATIVE TREES PLANTED
WILDLIFE PONDS CREATED
ACRES OF NATURAL WILDFLOWER MEADOWS
In Spring 2025 we were delighted to increase the size of the nature reserve with the acquisition of an additional 16.5 acres of land.
Biodiversity is returning to this beautiful place and visitors are leaving with knowledge, hope, and inspiration for what they can do to help biodiversity recover in their outdoor space, and community.
FEATURED IN
Corporate Experiences
We offer Entertaining and Informative Team Events at Wildacres, hosted only by us – Gilly and Brian.
All events include:
- Guided Tour of Wildacres with informative explanations of the habitats that have been restored/created and the flora and fauna that is attracted, which includes fascinating stories about our wonderful wildlife.
- An engaging audio-visual presentation in the Big Green Barn showcasing the wonderful wildlife in beautiful photos and videos.
- Tea/Coffee, fruit bowl/cookies served in our picnic area or in the Big Green Barn, depending on the weather.
- Wellies and umbrellas provided if weather requires.
- If weather is too ‘Irish’ we are happy to reschedule.
- Maximum number of attendees is 16 to provide an engaging and intimate experience.
- Enjoyable Team Brainstorming after our nature reserve tour/workshop: the group is divided into smaller groups to explore potential biodiversity restoration initiatives for the team/company to take. These ideas can be presented back to the larger group.
- Gardening for Biodiversity Workshop – for the ‘green fingered’.
- ‘What’s the Buzz about Biodiversity’ Workshop – understanding, restoring, and protecting.
- ‘How to turn your corporate/community space into a Mini Nature Reserve’ Workshop.
- ‘No Garden, No Worries!’ Workshop that presents a kaleidoscope of ideas on how to help biodiversity, without owning any land.
- ‘What can you do for Biodiversity? Top 10 Practical Tips’ Workshop.
- Sustainable Honey Tour: Introduction to the fascinating life of the Native Irish Honeybee and Wildacres Sustainable Raw Honey production.
- ‘Wellness with Nature’ Workshop – connecting with the natural world for better well-being.
- For full day events a Gourmet Picnic Lunch can be included with a selection of sandwiches, fruit, pastries, teas, coffees, juices. Alternatively, you are welcome to bring your own.
- Volunteering opportunities: plenty of volunteer activities to choose from e.g. tree planting and maintenance, meadow management, seed saving and propagation, wildlife pond creation and much more. Activities depend on time of year.
- Choice of Full Day (10.30am–3.30pm) / Half Day (10am–1pm), based on activities selected.
- For teams that aren’t in a position to travel to Wildacres, we can provide Virtual Workshops over MS Teams, Zoom, Google Meet and other platforms. Alternatively, we can arrange onsite visits in certain circumstances.
Testimonials
Wildacres is a Not-for-Profit Environmental Social Enterprise.
All proceeds from Wildacres tours, workshops, events, gifts, and hive produce go towards biodiversity restoration, protection, monitoring, and education.
Biodiversity is returning to this beautiful place and visitors are leaving with knowledge, hope, and inspiration for what they can do for biodiversity in their own outdoor space, and in their community.
We look forward to warmly welcoming you to Wildacres and sharing this special place with you.
Contact us for any questions, to discuss further and to tailor a package to your needs.
