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| Some of the people that planted trees in Terryland Forest Park |
Saturday April 27th
was organised as One Million Trees in One Day initiative involving individuals
and groups from all across Ireland. Unfortunately, the national organisers encountered logistical and funding
problems that made this dream impossible. Most of the local participating groups and individuals sadly only
got a fraction of the trees that they expected. Nevertheless it was a brave and
ambitious attempt at doing something that would allow people everywhere to make
a positive contribution in safeguarding the environment.
I was overawed
and emotionally touched by all of the people that travelled to Terryland Forest
Park from the four corners of county Galway to collect trees for planting on
their farms, streets, schools, gardens town streets and village greens,
neighbourhoods and localities.
These people came
from all walks of life- farmers, youth, retired folks, families, community
activists, sports organisers… They came from Gort, Peterswell, Rosmuc, Athenry,
Tuam, Milltown, Ballinasloe,
Abbeyknockmoy, Cahergal, Barna,
Galway city, Carna…
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| Tom O'Connell & family at the Terryland Plantathon |
They accrued no
money for doing what they did. But they had personified a belief that we as
members of the human race have to give something back to nature, to do
something no matter how small to undo the harm that successive generations have
done to the environment and to help provide sanctuaries for wildlife. Native Irish Trees, defined as those
that came naturally into Ireland at the end of the Ice Age, are rich in
biodiversity. An Oak Tree for instance can be home to up to 450 different types
of plants, fungi, insects, birds and mammals.
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On Saturday,
Terryland Forest Park was once again the scene for the planting of hundreds of
native Irish trees by families and individuals. It was a return to the heyday
of this unique urban parkland during the early part of the last decade. For a strong
spirit of community was self evident in the numbers of people of all ages that
happily turned up to plant Holly, Alder, Oak, Silver Birch, Hazel, Rowan,
Blackthorn and Hawthorn. To compensate for the smaller number of trees than
expected that arrived from One Million Trees in One Day’ Wicklow, landscaper
Brian Lohan from Corrandula donated hundreds of native Irish specimen.
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| Reconditioned Spades, Rakes & Shovels made for Terryland Forest by Cumann na bhFear |
April 27th
will hopefully be seen as a Red Letter Day in the history of what was once the
largest urban forest park project in Ireland. It was when the people of Galway
city and county reconnected with this ambitious green development managed by Galway
City Council parks department.
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| Irish, Russian and Czech volunteers at the Terryland Plantathon |
Today, the forest
has a myriad of social and natural problems due to vandalism, road network,
pollution and neglect. But it has now turned a corner and the park is once gain
being reclaimed by the good people of Galway as their own.
But the One Million Trees in One Day was only one of many activities
associated with the Park during that week.
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| Maidhc Danín Ó Sé , James Harrold, Michael Longley and Brendan Smith at the Cúirt Planting |
Most notable was the inaugural Cúirt tree planting at the Terryland
Forest Park at 11.00 on Thursday April 25th. Thanks to the vision of
James Harrold Galway City Arts Officer supported by Stephen Walsh of Galway
City Parks, Michael Longley and Maidhc Danín Ó Sé were the first writers to
plant trees on what will become over time a Poets’ Nature Walkway along the
banks of the River Corrib close to the Black Box. It is appropriate that the
reconnection of the world of the Irish literati with Trees occurs in Galway, a
city that has for decades kept alive the ancient Celtic bardic respect for
Mother Earth. Here in this urban landscape, environmentalists and artists often
came from the same womb and shared the same belief.
Tom Cuffe is a
well-known local expert in natural heritage studies, always in high demand from
schools across Galway city and county.
Every Saturday at
2.30pm, he undertakes, within the grounds of the Terryland Forest Park, a
transect for the national Butterfly and Bee monitoring survey .
Associated with
this initiative, Tom is photographing the amazing variety of wildlife that
inhabits the woods, parks and riverbanks within the park’s boundaries including
Sedge Warblers, Redpoll, Moorhen, Long tailed Tits, Hoverflies, Peacocks, Large
Whites and Tortoiseshells, Lady’s Smock and Lesser Celandine.
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| Caroline McDonagh, Michael Tiernan & Michael McDonnell with High Nelly bikes in Terryland Forest Park |
A fleet of High
Nelly bicycles are being lovingly restored by Cumann na bhFear (Men’s Shed) in
preparation for their use from late June onwards by visitors within the
Terryland Forest Park and for Slí na gCaisleán (‘The Way of the Castles’) a developing
Greenways linking Galway city with the rural landscapes of east county Galway.
The 25 mile looped cycle route will start and end at the Terryland Castle.
A number of these
High Nelly bikes were showcased at last month’s St. Patrick Day’s Parade.
Remedial Works in
May/June period
Repair and reconstruction of park features are being carried out weekly by volunteers
and Tús workers in association with Galway City Partnership . The works include rebuilding of
traditional dry stone wall field perimeters, laying out new paths, painting a
mural on the Conservation Volunteers depot, litter collection, painting of
bridges and benches, erection of new information signage etc.
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| Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh & daughter at Terryland Plantathon |
The Big Forest Repair & Clean-Up Day:
Saturday June 15th
The Tasks
Sandy River Bridge: Repainting of Metal railings and removal of commercial signage
Construction of a Pedestrian Entrance in the wall of the Sandy Road Carpark (leading into the Terryland Forest Park)
Constructing a Pathway
Repairing the Terryland Forest Park stone wall entrance at Sandy Road
Repainting the Park Seats & Benches
Painting a Giant Forest Themed Mural on Conservation Volunteers' Shed
Cleaning Graffiti of Terryland Forest Park signage
Litter Picking
Zero Tolerance Policy Towards Anti-Social Drinking
Huge amounts of damage are being done every week to parks, waterways, graveyards, forests and seashores across Ireland. The culprits can be a minority of young oftentimes underage drinkers of alcohol who gather in groups around campfires fueled by tyres as well as wood ripped off neighbouring trees. But there are also families and senior citizens from private and council housing who regularly dump their domestic waste in public green spaces.
By their wanton destruction of mainly taxpayer-payer funded property, they are turning larges sections of parks into no-go areas for the general public.
The clean-ups that we are carrying out are treating the symptoms and not the cause of this endemic societal problem.
By inaction, the Irish state sadly accepts this behaviour as a normal part of modern life. Such toleration only adds to ordinary people's growing disillusionment with a government that it seems is not working in the interests of the common people.
In most other countries across Europe, a zero-tolerance policy towards such mindless thuggery is implemented. The result is that parks and forests are clean and welcoming environments for all people of all ages to enjoy.
So it is time that we collectively demand an end to the stranglehold that the anti-patriotic, aggressive selfish criminals have on Ireland. It is our country not theirs!
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