The year 13 Eco-Group with students from 09/80 & 10/47 planting native trees

As part of Science Week, our Eco-group has been looking at ways to increase the biodiversity around the school environment.

The first phase of their initiative took place today with a group of students from years 9 and 10.  The students set about planting some trees – but not just any trees.  They planted thirty trees which are native species to Northern Ireland.  This is most important in the fight to increase biodiversity as the local wildlife just love native trees.

There are many reasons why we should be planting more trees in our local environment and we have listed some of them below:

Give wildlife a helping hand:  We encourage planting native trees because they are best for wildlife. Species with berries and fruits are brilliant for birds, while insects and pollinators love those with nectar-rich flowers. Trees provide cover for small mammals from predators and give all wildlife shelter from the elements.

Create beautiful places for people:  Whether it’s a quiet walk, a refreshing run or a ‘jungle’ adventure with the family, woods are fantastic places to spend quality time. They make great community spaces all year round and can cost less to manage than open space.

Reduce heating costs with firewood:  With rising costs for traditional fuels, planting trees for firewood is an increasingly popular activity. It gives you security of supply and around two to three hectares should provide enough to heat an average three-bedroom house.

Make good use of unproductive land: We believe in keeping high-quality land to produce excellent food grown at home in the UK. Our approach involves finding either the less productive pieces of land (such as awkward field corners or areas unsuitable for crops/livestock) or planting in ways that enhance agricultural activities (such as pollinator banks / natural flood defences or shelterbelts).

For more info check out the Woodland Trusts web-site or out find us on Twitter @StPauls_Eco