The Woodland League, a not for profit NGO, visited Feakle National School this past week when fifth and sixth class students were introduced to the League’s Native Trees education manual.
With all of the school in attendance, seven native trees were planted in a circle for the seven signatories of the 1916 proclamation. The children played Amhràn na Bhfiann, on their tin whistles to welcome the trees to their new home and Andrew St Ledger handed over the printed Introduction to Native Trees education manual with its Dunemann seed bed appendix to the School Principal Michelle O’ Loughlin, as well as presenting the school with a Dunemann copy nature forest in a box seed bed for the growing of native trees at the school.
The seven native trees planted were, holly, hazel, guelder rose, wild strawberry tree ( arbutus ), hawthorn, wild crab apple, and elder.
“Reafforestation of Ireland with native trees was one of the objectives of an Independent Ireland, on the understanding of the multiple benefits this would bring, socially, economically, and environmentally. The Woodland League are promoting the creation of community native woodlands in order for communities to take responsibility for tackling climate change into their own hands in this 1916 year of commemoration,” Andrew St Ledger outlined.
This event coincides with the launch of the film made by consultant scientist, Diana Beresford Kroeger, entitled The Call of the Forest: the forgotten wisdom of trees. Diana is calling for global reafforestation of natural forests by communities, and which also features the work of the Woodland League.
Diana was born in Ireland and is living in Canada, her film shows her travelling the world to report on the state of the worlds natural forests and to interview people and groups who are trying to restore them. For the film she spent two weeks in East Clare filming the Woodland League activities and interviewing Andrew St Ledger.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.