3,000-tree project already growing to halfway point

The groups who are well on their way to planting 3,000 trees in Mullingar in three years are looking for “one of our flagship estates for 2025” and have issued an invite to residents groups.

Mullingar Tidy Towns are leading the ‘New Beginnings Tree programme’, working with Westmeath County Council, Coillte, and Crann (Ireland’s Tree Magazine), and last year they planted 1,396 trees of the 3,000 target.

The idea is to create nature-friendly havens in green areas around Mullingar by providing native trees to communities and schools. They supply trees to resident groups in estates and schools in Mullingar, and that is where the new invite comes in.

The trees will eventually form a green belt around Mullingar, improving the environment and providing numerous benefits to the community.

Sites they worked on in 2024 include Grange, Lakepoint, Bellview heights, Abbeylands, Ardleigh crescent, and Mullingar Town Park. At those locations, the soil varies from good brown earth to shallow layers of topsoil in many of the estates.

They also visited St Colman’s Nation School, Loreto College and Mullingar Community College.

“We would like to thank all schools who participated in this programme, and we look forward to working with more schools this year,” said a spokesperson for the project.

“If your school is interested in getting involved, get in touch for more information.” (Contact details below.)

Trees planted were: white torn, mountain ash, maple, beech, oak, Scots pine, hazel, birch, alder, blackthorn, cherry blossom, fruit trees, holly and chestnut.

“The long-term objective of this project is to identify and protect what trees we have in our town. We would also like to create a link or corridor between the different groups of trees along the Royal Canal, the River Brosna and the railway line and in the estates and parks.

“We hope you will join us in this important effort to enhance the beauty and sustainability of Mullingar. Urban trees provide many benefits, including improving air quality, as a backdrop for recreation and wellbeing, and they help with cooling. Trees also sequester carbon, reducing the overall concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.”

Crann, Ireland’s Tree Magazine, highlighted the ‘New Beginnings Tree programme’ in the autumn, winter issue 2024, number 120.

“Special thanks to PJ Fitzpatrick for all his advice – he contributes to Mullingar Tidy Towns on trees and the benefits trees have in our communities – also, a special thanks to Tomas McPadden, whose photos display the finer side of our work every time.”

• If you are interested in participating, make contact by email (Mullingartidytowns1@gmail.com), Facebook, or Instagram.