Oak Planting Project In Ireland

In Armagh, a city in Ireland, there exists a wonderful oak planting project, called Rooted in Ireland. Set among the lush, green, rolling hills, this project has been set up with the noble aim of planting ten thousand oak trees. Further on in this article I will discuss the operation of the project, but first a little about the area. Armagh has been a settlement site for about fifteen hundred years, and is widely known as a religious, educational, and historical center. It is the site of the final resting place of Brian Boru, the legendary Irish warrior. Thousands of people visit Armagh each year, attracted no doubt, by the wonderful scenery, and abundance of things to do.

There is one thing however that is sadly lacking on the landscape, and that is trees. Ireland as a whole is now the most treeless land in Europe, with County Armagh being one of the worst affected, and this is where the Rooted in Ireland story begins.

The three directors of Rooted in Ireland, Patrick Nugent, Anne-Marie Nugent, and Peter Slevin had spent hours discussing setting up a business that was wholesome and beneficial to the environment, while also being unique to the area. Inspired by an article in an Australian newspaper about a similar project in Sydney, they set to work clearing and preparing the land, mapping out the planting paths, and finally, planting the oak trees themselves. There are currently 1700 trees planted, with another 2000 trees planned for the end of October. When the trees are in, they are then offered for sale to interested parties, who receive a certificate of ownership, and a frame ready photograph of their tree. The tree number is noted, and the person's name, and an inscription is entered in the tree ledger. So far, most of the purchases have come from people in the United States, the most notable of whom is an Upstate New York Mayor, Mr. Jim Sottile. In August, two of Rooted in Ireland's directors were invited to have a stall at the Federation of Genealogical Societies annual convention in Boston, Massachusetts. The response to the project was outstanding, with all the promotional material gone in a matter of hours. The website (www.rootedinireland.com) has seen a huge increase in traffic since August, and people have been dedicatings trees to give as wedding presents, christening presents, etc. Some have been bought in memory of grandparents and relatives who arrived in the United States from Ireland.

The directors have big plans for the project, and intend to ultimately plant 10,000 trees in total. The site will be developed as more trees are purchased, and will include a visitor centre in the style of a famine cottage, a viewing platform, and various decorative features in keeping with the surrounding countryside. The project is currently being considered for funding by various grant bodies including the EU peace fund, and will become an integral part of a visitor's experience when they arrive in Armagh. The directors have been heartened at the help, encouragement, and support that has been given to them by people from all walks of life. It seems that everyone can see the benefit of the Rooted in Ireland ethos, and this is perhaps summed up by the following Greek proverb: " A society grows great when people plant trees whose shade they will never sit in".

Article Source: Main Articles

Rooted in Ireland is an Irish project that plants oak trees. They offer Memorial Trees, and also have an Irish Gifts online store.

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