Rathcoole Primary School
Date: 7 Feb 2007
No. of trees planted: 70
No. of people involved: 15
Rathcoole School is in Newtownabbey and has amazingly large grounds but was in need of a few trees to provide habitat for wildlife and joy for pupils and teachers. The International Tree Foundation (ITF) applied for some trees on behalf of the school to improve the school playground. During a cold but sunny day, a group of students from the school joined their forces happily with some volunteers from ITF.
With a lot of enthusiasm, some large rowan and downy birch trees where planted in a neat line in the playgrounds (so as not to annoy the grass cutters!) in front of the school. After that, with great enthusiasm for some more tree planting, the children planted some hawthorn trees on their own near a fence surrounding the school. In some years this will become a hedgerow that will delight the birds with their colourful berries.