Bringing new life to a County Down community farm
Community groups in Northern Ireland have a chance to transform their local landscape with the gift of free trees. The unmissable offer comes from the Woodland Trust’s ‘More Trees, More Good’ campaign, which calls for a country rich in native woods and trees.
The free tree packs are already proving popular, and this month sees over 870 groups throughout the UK, including 19 in Northern Ireland, receiving and planting their saplings.
Designed to help community groups enhance local shared spaces, the tree packs come in two sizes: 105 trees (suitable for a small grove or hedge) or 420 trees (for planting on one acre of land). Groups can choose to plant for wildlife; for wood fuel; year-round colour; or tasty treats.
One local group setting the tree planting pace is ‘Growing Connections NI’, a voluntary organisation based at an idyllic farm outside Bangor, County Down. The organisation gives individuals the opportunity to swap the hustle and bustle of modern-day life for a rewarding, hands-on rural experience - whether growing vegetables or caring for livestock - as a means of promoting personal wellbeing.
The Growing Connections NI team opted for a ‘wild harvest’ tree pack, made up of hazel, blackthorn, crab apple, elder, cherry plum and dog rose. These natives offer the essentials for traditional tasty treats, such as crab apple jelly; while providing benefits to wildlife from day one of the planting.
Community group member Rachael Ludlow-Williams says: “We’re really pleased to have availed of this offer. As a community-based organisation, we wanted to give our volunteers the chance to be involved in the whole process, from rolling their sleeves up to plant the young saplings to eventually harvesting the fruit in years to come.
“And this is really just one piece of a larger landscape jigsaw. The farm owners have plans to add thousands of trees, almost 10,000 in total, to the wider farm setting. This planting has been encouraged by the Woodland Trust, with funding coming from Forest Service’s Woodland Grant Scheme. The tree planting will offer a mix of benefits, including wood fuel and shelter for livestock. It’s designed to link areas of existing woodland and to benefit wildlife, creating new foraging habitats.”
The Woodland Trust wants to see a doubling of native woodland cover over the next 50 years, but recognises that it can’t do it alone.
The charity is offering 1,000 free tree packs to community groups throughout the UK. Apply online now at www.MoreTreesMoreGood.org.uk/communitytrees for a November delivery.
For farmers and other landowners, the Trust is offering comprehensive tree planting advice plus guidance on sources of funding. Landowners wishing to plant half an acre or more should telephone 0845 293 5689 or email woodlandcreation@woodlandtrust.org.uk
Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
Kaye Coates at the Woodland Trust’s Bangor Office on 028 9127 5787; email kayecoates@woodlandtrust.org.uk or
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121; email media@woodlandtrust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters.
The Trust has three key aims: i) to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees ii) to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future iii) to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free.
Here in Northern Ireland the Woodland Trust cares for 51 woods. These woods contain a mix of recently planted woodland, mature woodland and ancient woodland (that’s land continuously wooded since at least 1600). We have recently produced the first-ever comprehensive record of Northern Ireland’s ancient woodland; find out more at www.backonthemap.org.uk