About us
Growing Communities. Restoring Nature.
The Acorn Project is a community-based, non-profit organisation working throughout the Nore Catchment in County Kilkenny. We believe that healthy communities and healthy landscapes go hand in hand. Through ecological restoration, sustainability education, and practical environmental action, we help people reconnect with nature while building the skills needed to care for it.
Our work brings together local communities, schools, young people, volunteers, artists, craftspeople, and landowners to restore biodiversity, revive traditional knowledge, and create resilient landscapes for future generations.
Our Mission
Our mission is to restore and strengthen the relationship between people and the natural world through community-led environmental action, nature-based learning, and regenerative land management.
We create opportunities for people of all ages to learn practical skills, participate in ecological restoration, and become active stewards of their local environment.
Graine Native Tree Nursery
At the heart of The Acorn Project is Graine Native Tree Nursery.
The nursery grows locally sourced native Irish trees from seed collected within the Nore Catchment. By growing trees from local provenance, we help preserve the unique genetic heritage of our woodlands while providing trees that are naturally adapted to local conditions.
Graine is more than a tree nursery—it is a living classroom and community resource where volunteers, schools, families, and community groups learn about seed collection, propagation, tree care, woodland ecology, and biodiversity restoration.
Through the nursery we are helping to create healthier woodlands, stronger ecosystems, and a deeper connection between people and place.
