Coillte is partnering with Tree Council of Ireland for National Tree Week which runs from 21st to 29th March. Ballycoog National School is delighted to receive a selection of sapling trees from Wicklow County Council to plant in our beautiful school gardens during National Tree Week. We are proud of the rich natural environment and around our school which benefit the children’s mental, physical and intellectual wellbeing. Nature offers much opportunity for our students to relax, play, exercise and learn.
5 Interesting Facts about Trees in
County Wicklow, The Garden of Ireland:
Did you know that County Wicklow is also the home of Ireland’s tallest tree? The tallest tree in Ireland is a nonnative Douglas Fir at the Powerscourt Estate in Co. Wicklow and it measures 56 metres in height.
Did you know that modern Irish forestry began in 1904 at Avondale in Co. Wicklow, the home of Charles Stewart Parnell. Many different tree species from all over the world were planted there to see which would grow best in Irish conditions.
Ireland has the lowest forest cover of all European countries: approximately 11% compared to an European average of well over 30%. County Wicklow has the highest forest cover in Ireland while Co Meath has the fewest trees.
The Wicklow Mountains form the largest continuous upland area in the country where the dominant tree is the sitka spruce, accounting for 58% of forest plantations, with lodgepole pine, Norway spruce, Scots pine, larch and Douglas fir also planted.
One of the oldest trees in County Wicklow is the the old sweet chestnut at Rosanna, near Ashford, under which the Methodist preacher John Wesley is said to have given a sermon in 1789.
Sir David Attenborough recently spoke about the immense health benefits of spending time in woodlands. He urged people to spent 10 minutes sitting in a forest and listening to the sounds of nature as a way to relax and destress.
You can watch Sir David Attenborough’s Our Planet – Forest episode at the link below:
Why not visit a forest or pay closer attention to the trees in your garden, around your home this week.