Primary schools in Mayo invited to take part in national tree day
Primary schools in Mayo are being invited to claim one of 2,000 free Scots Pine saplings and get Planting for the Planet for Glennon Brothers National Tree Day, taking place on Thursday, October 1.
An initiative of the Tree Council of Ireland, National Tree Day encourages primary school children across Mayo to get outside, plant a tree and discover the important role trees and forests play in our everyday lives.
This year’s theme, ‘Planting for the Planet’, will help children explore how trees support wildlife and biodiversity, capture and store carbon, and provide a renewable natural resource that can be transformed into timber products to build our homes and communities.
Schools in Mayo can claim one of 2,000 free Scots Pine saplings here, where teachers will also find ready-to-use classroom resources, nature activities and information about the Scots Pine, Pinus sylvestris, or An Giúis, to bring National Tree Day to life in the classroom and outdoors.
Supporting National Tree Day for a second year is Glennon Brothers, a third-generation Irish family business established in Longford in 1913, who employ over 1,400 people between Ireland and the UK. Its partnership with the Tree Council of Ireland enables 2,000 saplings and educational resources to be provided free to primary schools nationwide.
For more than a century, Glennon Brothers has processed round logs into quality timber products for the construction, fencing, pallet and packaging sectors. Through National Tree Day, the company aims to help children understand the journey from forest to finished timber product, how growing trees capture carbon, how forests are renewed through replanting, and how timber can continue to store carbon during the lifecycle of the products and buildings in which it is used.
Pat Glennon, Glennon Brothers, said: “National Tree Day gives children the opportunity to do something practical and positive for the environment. Planting and caring for a tree helps bring to life the importance of trees and forests and the role they can play for generations to come.
“As a family business with a long connection to timber and forestry, we are proud to support an initiative that encourages children to get outdoors, learn and develop an appreciation of trees from an early age.”
Felicity Gaffney, President of the Tree Council of Ireland, commented: “National Tree Day is about turning learning into action. Through “Planting for the Planet”, we want children to explore the many ways trees support our environment, from providing habitats for wildlife to capturing carbon.
With the support of Glennon Brothers, we can provide 2,000 free Scots Pine saplings and classroom resources to schools across Ireland and hopefully inspire a lifelong appreciation of trees and forests.”
The Scots Pine is one of Ireland’s native tree species and provides an important habitat and food source for wildlife. Further information is available here.