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Council gives schools tree-mendous gifts for National Tree Week!

November 25, 2022

To celebrate National Tree Week and to educate young people about the importance of trees, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) is giving primary schools in the area free tree saplings and supplies to help grow their very own woodland!

As part of National Tree Week 2022, which runs from Sunday 27th November to Monday 5th December, all 49 primary schools will get a ‘Woodland in a Box’. Each box will contain native tree saplings, which have been grown by council gardeners who are passionate about increasing the level of woodland cover across the council area.

A series of council roadshows and tree-mendous activities for all ages will be taking place throughout National Tree Week. These will be held on:

  • Monday 28th November  – Moira Demesne
  • Tuesday 29th November  – Moat Park, Dundonald
  • Wednesday 30th November – Hillsborough Forest Park
  • Thursday 1st December  – Wallace Park, Lisburn

Arboriculture Consultant, Andrew Boe, and Consultant Ecologist, Karl Hamilton will be delivering Q & A sessions and tree ID walks daily from 12 noon to 2pm. Aidan Crean, the award-winning Environmentalist, will also be on hand to host wildlife walks and bird-ringing activities throughout the week.

Representatives from the Woodland Trust, NI Forest Schools and our very own Biodiversity Officer will also be there with fun facts and information to help grow your appreciation for trees this year!

Chair of LCCC’s Leisure and Community Development Committee, Cllr Aaron McIntrye, said: “Trees are vital to our way of life but unfortunately Northern Ireland is one of the least wooded regions in Europe with only 9% of woodland cover. It’s imperative that we address this and I’m delighted that we’re educating young people and equipping our schools to help us make a difference to our planet.

“This initiative is part of the council’s Big Tree Project, which aims to plant and grow 250,000 native trees over the next three years from our own purpose-built tree nurseries. By creating our own supply chain, we hope to avoid the challenges of growing imported trees, allowing us to distribute native and healthy home-grown trees across Northern Ireland.

“There are many ways for the public to get involved in this project and I encourage them to join in with our National Tree Week celebrations to find out more.”

To register for the tree ID walks, wildlife walks or bird ringing activities please email Stephen.Croft@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk.

For more information go to www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk/bigtreeproject

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