Crann forest walk examined 'whole value of trees'
The Crann walk in the grounds of Belvedere on Saturday examined “the whole value of trees”, said PJ Fitzpatrick, a local member of Crann, who led the walk with Diarmuid McAree also of Crann.
Crann works to raise awareness of trees; and plants them along with individuals, schools, community groups and businesses. “The right tree in the right place is what’s important, and what we covered is everything from the root of the tree, what’s going on under the ground, to the relevance of the trunk of the tree, which absorbs carbon, and leading to the crown of the tree, the branches, leaves, flowers, and all the insects and birds.
“With climate change, a lot of people are interested in the carbon absorption, and the level of that depends on the type of tree and the speed they grow at. Along with that, the crown cover reduces the temperature in that area, and we know that people like to sit in the shade on a hot day, so each tree will play its part and can help to lower global temperature.
“The other thing that’s important is the release of oxygen and the filtering of other contaminants, dust, in the air – trees along a road are great for that reason.”
The Woodland Walk at Belvedere House, Gardens and Park was part of National Biodiversity Week. It was a guided forest walk covering ecology, biodiversity, tree identification and more.