With less than a month to go, Coillte is gearing up for National Tree Week, as it today (Monday, February 5) launches a nature-inspired photography competition open to all primary school children right across the country.
Coillte has stated the competition is aimed at encouraging students to “engage with nature and understand the importance of trees in safeguarding our planet for tomorrow”.
To enter, teachers and pupils are being asked to take a picture of their favourite tree or a favourite outdoor nature space and upload it to the Coillte website.
Four winners will be selected, with each receiving a trip for them and their class to ‘Beyond the Trees Avondale’ at Coillte’s Avondale Forest Park in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow.
National Tree Week, running from March 3-10, organised by the Tree Council of Ireland and proudly supported by Coillte, is Ireland’s largest annual tree celebration.
This year’s theme, ‘Planting Trees for a Greener Future’, highlights the unique role trees and forests play in helping to address climate change.
This year will see Coillte donate 150,000 tree saplings to local community groups for planting, to mark the annual celebration.
Speaking at the launch, Cormac Downey, president of the Tree Council of Ireland said: “National Tree Week is all about communities joining together and celebrating all the good things that trees and forests do for us.
“This year’s theme, ‘Planting Trees for a Greener Future’ is what National Tree Week is all about and we hope everyone will get involved in a local event this year.
“If you are thinking of getting involved, we would encourage you to do so with simple activities like hosting walks, discussions, or community planting,” he added.
Downey said that he hopes such activities “will encourage everyone to play their part in planting more trees for a greener future”.
Sakinah Brennan of Coillte said: “National Tree Week is an important celebration as it highlights the significance of trees in helping to tackle climate change, promoting biodiversity and producing sustainably grown Irish wood, which is central to Coillte’s strategic vision.
“This year we’re particularly excited to launch our primary schools’ competition which we hope will encourage students to explore the nature around them and to understand the importance of trees in safeguarding our future,” Brennan said.
In March, National Tree Week will see a packed schedule of activities, from group forest walks and tree-planting events to workshops and forestry talks.
A series of expert-led webinars including the annual Augustine Henry forestry lecture on urban forestry in Ireland will also be running across the week, with each session providing valuable insights and perspectives from experts on the critical role of trees in promoting a greener, more sustainable future.
Since its inception in 1985, National Tree Week has been responsible for planting almost one million trees in Ireland.