Ballyhenry Primary School, Newtownabbey
Date: 26 January 2006
No. of trees planted: 12
No. of people involved: 25
Another school with extensive green areas, but dominated by mown grass! Some of this grass is used for sports, but much of it is simply cut regularly and supports little in the way of wildlife.
The school applied for Free Trees to redress the balance a little and to provide two rows of trees. A mixture of rowan and downy birch was chosen to provide a variety of flowers and fruits to attract the widest range of insects and birds.
A whole class of children came out and planted the trees in teams – and, in no time at all, mucky hands (and faces), the trees were swaying gently in the breeze and, in a few years, will transform the school grounds.