
The Millennium Forests : School Program (2000-2002)
In
support of the project, three Outreach Officers were appointed.
The primary role of these Outreach Officers was to visit the schools
closest to the planting sites and to involve the local children
in seed collecting programs and other woodland activities. Schools
were also encouraged to establish small nurseries producing native
trees, with back up provided by the outreach officers.
The Outreach Programme started in October 2000 and the Outreach
Officers visited primary schools all over the country, talking
to school children and taking them for guided walks in the Millennium
woodland sites. Where possible the children collected native seed
locally, for example hazelnuts and acorns and set up small nurseries
on their classroom windowsills. When these seed grew, we planted
the new trees into the Millennium woodland sites or some other
suitable locations, in this way each school helped to increase
the forests of Ireland.
Schools
Pack:
The
Millennium Forest provided schools pack consisting of a book entitled
"Our Trees", which contained detailed information on the identification
and propagation of Irish native trees, a video about our native
forests, which was produced by Eamon de Buitléar and a poster
of Irish native trees. A set of worksheets was also included,
which were used to teach the children about various aspects of
our native trees. These worksheets included information on Our
Native Trees, Collecting
Seed and Setting
up a School Nursery.
Click here to see what some schools have already done