Planting Trees For The Future
Outside of Armagh, in a townland called Drumconwell, there exists an oak planting project. Set on nine acres of wonderful countryside, and overlooking the beautiful city of Armagh, is Rooted in Ireland. This is historical land indeed, the center of St Patrick's church, and an area steeped in tradition and folklore. Armagh is a modern city as well, boasting a modern 4 star hotel, numerous golf courses, and a wealth of visitor attractions. Many of the nearby villages are worthy of a visit just for their own attractions, and it is an area that, once visited, is never forgotten.
As a visitor, however, one can't but help notice that there is a distinct lack of trees on the landscape. For thousands of years, Armagh was heavily aforested, but now Ireland as a whole has the least percentage of trees of any county in Europe. And this is were our tale of trees and hope 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.
When the project reaches its' completion, there will have been ten thousand trees planted in total. The site will have been developed to make it visitor friendly, complete with viewing platforms, historical cottage, and a host of other interesting items. The project is being considered for funding by various government bodies, but the directors will keep going until the project is successfully finished. Rooted in Ireland is a labor of love...the directors financed the project themselves, and do not make any money from it. All the income currently goes towards planting more oak trees, and developing the site further, all with a common aim....to plant the future!.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
Rooted in Ireland is an oak planting project in Ireland. They offer Memorial Trees, along with Irish Gifts online store.
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