Tree Week 2005
Tree Week 2005 (actually twelve days) fell between 23rd November and 4th December 2005. During this time, the Northern Ireland Tree Campaign involved 588 people and planted 1,341 native trees.
All of our five offices were involved, helping to make this one of the biggest Tree Week celebrations we have ever undertaken. Native trees were planted at Creggan Country Park (L/Derry), Portglenone Monastery, Cootehall Park (North Down), Cornfield Wood (Coleraine) and Castle Archdale (Fermanagh).
Planting the trees, under the guidance of Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland staff and volunteers, were schoolchildren, teachers, Mayors, MLAs and Councillors. The Mayor of North Down, Councillor Roberta Dunlop and four other Councillors helped at Cootehall – representing almost one-fifth of the Councillors – and the Mayor of Coleraine, Councillor Timothy Deans planted trees at Cornfield Wood.
Volunteers this year represented Italy, Austria and Germany, helping to maintain an international flavour to our events, whilst focussing on local activities that can make a real difference to both the immediate environment and to wider global issues like climate change.
Each person planted at least one tree each, although inter-class competition inspired some of the children to plant three or four each. At all times they were closely watched and helped, where necessary, by our staff or volunteers.