Niall Collins TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, joined pupils at Ballybrown National School, Co. Limerick, to plant a Scots Pine ahead of Glennon Brothers National Tree Day 2026, which took place on 1st October.
An initiative of the Tree Council of Ireland, National Tree Day encourages primary school children across Ireland to get outside, plant a tree and discover the important role trees and forests playin our everyday lives. This year, schools can claim one of 2,000 free Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris; Irish: An Giúis) saplings to plant with pupils.
This year’s theme, ‘Planting for the Planet’, will help children explore how trees support wildlife and biodiversity, capture and store carbon, and provide a renewable natural resource that can be transformed into timber products used to build our homes and communities.
Minister Niall Collins commented: “National Tree Day gives children a practical way to learn about the importance of trees, forests and the natural environment. By planting and caring for a Scots Pine, pupils can see first-hand how trees support biodiversity, capture carbon and provide a renewable natural resource”.
“It is also an opportunity to build understanding of sustainable forestry and how home-grown timber can continue to store carbon when it is used in timber products and buildings. I commend the Tree Council of Ireland and Glennon Brothers for helping schools across the country turn that learning into action”.
Schools can claim one of 2,000 free Scots Pine saplings at www.treeday.ie, where teachers will also find ready-to-use classroom resources, nature activities and information about the Scots Pine to bring National Tree Day to life in the classroom and outdoors.
