Calls on every sector of society to ‘Think Tree’
Signals intention to encourage increased diversity of planting in 2021
The Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett has called on Irish people to ‘Think Tree’ and start planting.
Speaking as she herself planted a tree in a National School in Dublin to mark Tetra Pak Tree Day, the Minister said,
We need to plant more trees in Ireland. I want to see that planting happen under my watch, so I am asking everyone to Think Tree. I want all of us, individuals, farmers, schools, businesses, organisations and local authorities to look at whatever land they own and consider planting some trees.
Referring to the theme for this year’s campaign, which is to “Be a Force for Nature”, the Minister, who was accompanied by Eanna Ní Lamhna, President of the Tree Council of Ireland, encouraged the primary school children she met to become more active in sustainability and climate issues.
Minister Hackett stated,
‘Days like this give us all an opportunity to put down the school books, spend time outdoors and become more aware and I would really like us to be much more aware of the benefits of trees. They serve so many purposes, from providing us with beauty, noise barriers and shade, to the bigger positives, like storing storm water, filtering pollutants and removing carbon dioxide from the air.
The Minister highlighted the importance of trees to climate change,
Ireland’s forests have over 312 million tonnes of carbon stored in the trees and soil and make a significant contribution to climate change. And of course, as timber they are also a great carbon store. So we also need to use more timber and wood in our ever day lives.
Recognising that 2020 is designated as the International Year of Plant Health around the theme of ‘Protecting Plants, Protecting Life, Minister Hackett noted,
It is important to maintain Ireland’s unique plant health status to protect our trees, forests and the wider environment, my Department continues to implement the recently published the Plant Health Biosecurity Strategy.
Minister Hackett also referred to future forestry policy. She said,
I am determined to encourage farmers and foresters to increase diversity in both broadleaved and conifer species. We have one of the lowest levels of tree cover in Europe. That must increase, but it must increase in a way which is sympathetic to our native trees and our habitats while still delivering for commercial forestry and the timber industry. I will be working on the range of schemes and measures to increase the levels of diverse planting while also developing an improved model for forestry in Ireland.
Notes to Editors:
The Tree Council of Ireland, supported by Tetra Pak, called on primary schools across the country to plant a tree on Thursday, 1st October 2020. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Be a Force for Nature” to encourage primary school children around the country to become more active in sustainability and climate issues.
Tetra Pak Tree Day is an opportunity for children, teachers and parents to put down the school books, spend time outdoors and learn to become more environmentally aware. The campaign’s mascot Sammy Squirrel can be found on the back of Avonmore school milk cartons from September with simple tips on how to become more environmentally conscious.
As part of this year’s Tetra Pak Tree Day, 1,500 native tree saplings will be made available through the campaign website for primary schools to plant on their school grounds, or in a pot in the classroom. Planting a tree is also one of the requirements to achieve the Green-School’s Green Flag for Biodiversity. More details on the campaign including new class lessons, videos, information on recycling, food waste and nature walks can be found on www.treeday.ie
Each year Tetra Pak Tree Day places a focus on a different native tree and this year the chosen tree is the Scots Pine or An Giúis, one of Ireland’s few evergreen trees. The seeds from the Scots Pine cones are one of the red squirrels’ favourite foods and honey bees use the tree’s resinous sap to make propolis or bee glue; a sealant for their hive that also protects them from bacteria and viruses.
To find out more about this year’s Tetra Pak Tree Day and to claim a FREE Scots Pine sapling for your school, visit www.treeday.ie.