CHARITY is to plant one million native trees in one
day across Ireland including Donegal to create a
"living legacy" for future generations.
The One Million Trees in One Day cross-border
initiative is to take place early next year with
large teams of foresters and community volunteers
taking part.
The charity’s administrator, Rosalind Shaw, said the
ambitious project would include the whole island and
would involve the planting of a million saplings in
a 24-hour period in early March. More than twenty
native Irish tree species will be represented
including oak, ash, rowan, scots pine, willow, alder
and hazel. Farm land, community gardens, school
grounds and public parks will be among the many
sites earmarked for planting nationwide.
"We are just about to close our call for land which
means we have almost every single tree accommodated
at this stage," said Ms Shaw.
She said the organisation was also aware of the
crisis facing the native Irish ash population due to
infestation by chalara fraxinea. She said it was
hoped their environmental project would go some way
towards helping native trees survive into the
future.
"All our trees will have been grown from Irish seed.
We are not importing any trees and there will be no
exotic species involved," added Ms Shaw.
The One Million Trees in One Day is a
not-for-profit, cross border initiative that is
expected to cost just under 4 million euro. It will
be paid for through donations and a mix of public
and private funding.
The organisation is working with councils, farmers,
community groups, schools, colleges and private
landowners to source the land needed.
It hopes the project will capture the public
imagination and provide biodiversity in the face of
climate change as well as tourism and leisure
benefits into the future. More information at
www.onemilliontreesinoneday.com |
