On Friday 29th and Saturday 30th November 2019 some 200 enthusiastic volunteers turned up to plant 500 trees on the grounds of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Knockbracken Drive, Carryduff. The trees were all native Irish species which will help to enrich biodiversity and sustain local wildlife. The trees were kindly donated by The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) who also provided tools and expertise.
The event was led by the Drumbo and Carryduff Environment Group and TCV. The large number of volunteers were mobilised through the support and collaboration between these and other many different people and organisations across the local Carryduff community. We also had support from wider afield with Trocaire playing a helpful role.
School children, parishioners, and local families all donated their time to contribute. From young kids to grandparents, everyone joined in. Feedback from the event was positive throughout. The benefits were:
- A strengthening of the community network
- Families and friends enjoying spending quality time together in nature
- Enabling participants to plant trees as celebration of a special landmark in their lives, or as a legacy for children and grandchildren
- Raising awareness of environmental issues and the benefits of tree planting and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change
The event was a success because of good communication through a variety of channels including personal contact, flyers, announcements, emails, newsletters, website and Facebook pages. It was also very useful to have the tools and expertise for tree planting and a meeting space with refreshments while the planting took place. The trees will provide a visible reminder of a wonderful two days and lasting joy for many generations to come.
