There are calls for the State to purchase a parcel of land in Co Wicklow which could more than double the size of the Glen of the Downs.
Part of the forest near Delgany was felled more than 25 years ago, despite a three-year long protest by environmentalists.
The nature reserve was headline news between 1997 and 2000 when self-styled "eco warriors" set up camp there, with some living in tree-houses in objection to plans to widen the N11 between Kilmacanogue and Kilpedder.
The campaign, which ended up in the courts, was ultimately unsuccessful, with the scheme only slightly amended.
Now there are calls on the State to buy an almost 200-acre site bordering the Glen of the Downs which has recently been put up for sale with an asking price of €6.5 million.
The agent selling the 197 acres of agricultural land and forest on the Kindlestown Road in Delgany says there are a number of parties interested in the site, which previously had planning permission for a golf course.
But environmentalists and local politicians say the purchase of the site would offer the State a unique opportunity to extend one of Ireland's ancient woodlands.
Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore opened a public petition and held a public meeting in support of the move.
"The Glen of the Downs holds a really, really special place in the hearts of people from Wicklow. It is an ancient old woodland of national significance, right on the doorstep of Dublin. What's become available is 200 acres of mainly grassland right beside the Glen the Downs.
"So there's this opportunity to expand the Glen of the Downs, to give it space to grow, to thrive, and to really protect and enhance it. I think it's just too good an opportunity for us to miss. We haven't been very good to it, unfortunately, over the years.
"We've put a road, a busy road, right the way through it, and cut it in half. So I think this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I think if we don't grasp this at the moment and use this opportunity to really restore the Glen and to grow it, I think it will be a loss from a national ecological perspective," Ms Whitmore said.
The Irish Environment Network says that purchasing the land would help Ireland meets its legal obligations in the area of nature restoration.
Fintan Kelly, Agriculture and Land Use Policy Officer at the Irish Environment Network, said: "Ireland has legal obligations under the nature restoration law to increase the area of habitat like old oak woodlands. So, by buying this property we would more than double the size of the reserve.
"By 2050 Ireland has to increase the size of old oak woodland almost sevenfold. So it just makes sense. It helps us meet our legal obligations"
"The Glen of the Downs is really significant. It's one of Ireland's oldest nature reserves and it's protected as a special area of conservation. There's only maybe about 2% of our whole country is what would be considered native woodlands, and only a tiny fraction that would be ancient woodlands, that's going back to pre-history, maybe as far back as the end of the ice age.
"So this is a really rare habitat. It's extremely rare that you would have a large property made up of commercial forestry and farmland coming up for sale beside an ancient woodland site like this, and particularly in the east of the country, where there's so much development."
The minister with responsibility for the National Parks and Wildlife Service Malcom Noonan said he could not comment on the sale of this land due to commercial sensitivity.
However he said that value for money would be fundamental to any decision but that the reported price of the land would make it some of the most expensive in the State.
"The National Parks and Wildlife Service occasionally purchases land for strategic and conservation purposes and such acquisitions must be considered carefully on a case by case basis.
"In light of the commercial sensitivity of these considerations and the strategic implications of bringing these considerations into the public domain, I am, of course, not in a position to comment on any individual site that is offered for sale.
"I should note, however, that value for money is always going to be fundamental in terms of any decision in relation to acquisitions from the public purse and if the price of the lands for sale at the Glen of the Downs is as high as reported in the media this would make it some of the most expensive lands in the country."
However Deputy Whitmore says she believes the State can negotiate a better price for the land and said that if it does not secure ownership of the site, there could be access issues for locals in the future
"Obviously, value for money does have to come into account, but what I would say to the department is go in and fight. This land is zoned agricultural, so I think there is an opportunity to negotiate hard when it comes to actual pricing of it."
The brochure for the sale of the land which is being handled by O'Neill Flanagan says the site could be used for housings, tourism or as a sporting venue depending on planning permission.
"Due to its size and location, the site is suitable for many uses, and would be ideally situated for a sporting venue, hotel, business hub, housing, all subject to the necessary planning. The site offers strong potential to any developer, business or investor wishing to break into this rapidly growing area."
Auctioneer Pat O'Neill says the owners, who he described as a local family would be open to offers from the State.
"Its not very often that a parcel of land like this comes on to the market. There are a number of interested parties but the owners would be open to any offer from the State."
However Kieran Flood of the Irish Wildlife Trust says the State should purchase the land to try and make some amends for the damage done to the Glen of the Downs in the past.
"For us, it seems like a no brainer because it's a very valuable old oak woodland site with the opportunity to restore and expand on it. The oak woodland was split into two by the road.
"This is an opportunity to improve the habitat for the wildlife that would really help the species in here. There's invasive plant species like Cherry Laurel, which grows very vigourously and shades out all the plant life and damages the ability for insects, which then that knock on effect on birds and bats. There is also overgrazing by deer. So there's a lot of pressures on this site.
"The project of restoring and increasing the size of this site would be really useful for the animals that live here. We've got some shy woodland creatures like jays and badgers and squirrels on this site, and if the site was improved and increased that would really help those animals.
"We could have something called natural regeneration, where the woodland naturally expands and that creates new habitats for these animals, and space and light for the plants as well."
