Coillte and The Tree Council of Ireland kick off National Tree Week 2024

National Tree Week 2024 officially kicked off today (Sunday 3rd March) with a ceremonial tree planting at Heritage House, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois by members of the Tree Council, Coillte and special guest, Science Communicator and local resident, Dr. Niamh Shaw. Today marks the start of a week-long series of events to celebrate the significance, beauty and benefits of trees and forests in Ireland.

This year’s Tree Week theme, ‘Planting Trees for a Greener Future’, highlights the importance of planting more trees as a crucial component of addressing biodiversity challenges and fighting climate change. This year will see Coillte once again donate 150,000 tree saplings to local community groups and schools for planting, to mark the annual celebration.

A packed schedule of events will run throughout the week, all around the country, from group forest walks and tree-planting events to local workshops and forestry talks. A series of expert-led webinars, including the annual Augustine Henry Forestry Lecture on Urban Forestry in Ireland at the National Botanic Gardens, will provide valuable insights and perspectives from experts on the critical role of trees in promoting a greener, more sustainable future.

Speaking at the launch of National Tree Week 2024, Cormac Downey, President of the Tree Council of Ireland said, “National Tree Week is a brilliant way to bring people together to celebrate the importance of trees, forests and woodlands. Trees are vital when it comes to biodiversity, and we encourage everyone to get out there and get involved in the activities that are taking place in their locality.”

Speaking about Coillte’s role in National Tree Week, Coillte’s ESG Director, Sakinah Brennan said: “National Tree Week is an initiative that we are very proud to support. This year’s theme, ‘Planting Trees for a Greener Future’ looks to the future and highlights the importance of trees and their contribution to tackling climate change. Coillte is delighted to donate 150,000 trees to the Tree Council of Ireland this year to support tree-planting initiatives in communities nationwide. We’re also proud to host a number of events to mark Tree Week and we encourage everyone to get involved this year, even by simply getting out and taking a walk in their local Coillte forest.”

In preparation for National Tree week, Coillte launched a tree-inspired photography competition for all primary school children and their teachers who were asked to take a picture of their favourite tree or a favourite outdoor nature space. The competition was aimed at encouraging students to engage with nature and understand the importance of trees to ensure a sustainable future for all. Coillte received hundreds of entries from across the country and the four winning schools who will each receive a class trip to 'Beyond the Trees Avondale' at Coillte's Avondale Forest Park in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow were announced today. The winners are:

• 6th Class at Corofin National School, Corofin, Co.Clare;
• Kilbannon National School, Tuam Co. Galway;
• 3rd Class at St Helen’s Senior National School, Portmarnock, Co. Dublin;
• 3rd Class at All Saints' National School, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan

Since its inception in 1985, National Tree Week has seen almost one million trees being planted across Ireland. Community groups planning events in their local area can register their event with the Tree Council at www.treecouncil.ie.