The European Commission’s Campus at Grange, Co. Meath is home to an important landscape enhancement initiative. Studio Glasú was commissioned to prepare the woodland masterplan and supervise its implementation, strengthening green infrastructure, biodiversity, and amenity across the campus. The project forms part of the Commission’s wider commitment to ecological stewardship, embedding sustainability and habitat creation into the daily environment of this international institution.

The campus had large areas of lawn and simplified planting with limited ecological value. The challenge lay in transforming these underutilised spaces into resilient woodland ecosystems while maintaining operational requirements such as security sightlines and access. A planting approach was needed that could deliver rapid ecological benefit, long-term resilience, and alignment with EU sustainability goals.

The landscape strategy combines traditional native woodland typologies with Miyawaki Method planting, creating a layered mosaic of habitats. Over 7,000 trees were introduced across three planting zones, with species carefully selected for their ecological value and resilience. Trees were planted in naturalistic patterns at high density to foster rapid canopy formation and strong underground root networks. The scheme was carefully coordinated with contractors and Commission staff to align ecological goals with campus needs, including service routes and security infrastructure.

The project has begun transforming the campus into a dynamic, ecologically rich environment. As the woodland and shrubland mature, they will deliver carbon sequestration, pollinator corridors, nesting and foraging habitats, and a resilient ecological network. Staff and visitors benefit from a greener, healthier campus, while the project demonstrates how international institutions can embed climate action and biodiversity enhancement directly into their landscapes. By diversifying habitat structure and re-establishing a self-sustaining woodland community, the EU Commission campus now acts as both a model of ecological restoration and a living symbol of sustainability in practice.