Branching out in the hunt for weird trees
Eanna Ni Lamha, vice-president of The Tree Council of Ireland, beside a Victorian seat that has been partially consumed by a London plane tree at the Kings Inns on Constitution Hill, Dublin. She was at the launch of the Heritage Trees Hunt
Tuesday June 16 2009
THE search is on for Ireland's most weird and wonderful trees.
The Tree Council of Ireland is appealing to the public to share their photographs and stories of unusual trees in their local estates, back gardens, parks and streets as part of its Heritage Tree Hunt unveiled yesterday.
The hunt is part of an initiative by the council to preserve and protect heritage trees across the country.
"We want to hear about giant, important, sacred, historical, bizarre-looking or ancient trees, and generally trees with a story," Eanna Ni Lamha, vice-president of the Tree Council of Ireland, said as she launched the tree hunt along with Environment Minister John Gormley.
Heritage trees, she explained, are those deemed to be "of biological, cultural, ecological or historical interest because of their age, size or condition".
The best tree stories will be included in a picture book, which the council hopes to publish by the end of the year. More information is available at www.treecouncil.ie.
- Allison Bray
