Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board in partnership with social enterprise Living Woodlands, has been busy planting Tiny Forests at some of its College of Further Education and Training campuses and ETB schools. Limerick brothers Colm and John Galvin set up ‘Living Woodlands’ to help create community woodlands as a way of tackling climate change and protecting native Irish biodiversity. They do this by helping organisations and communities to provide natural spaces, creating tiny forests in urban areas. The very first of these Tiny Forest projects was created by Living Woodlands at Tait House, back in the spring of 2022.
Living Woodland founders John and Colm Galvin.
Under the guidance of John Galvin and his brother Colm Galvin, who is also a teacher at Limerick and Clare ETB’s College of FET, Kilmallock Road Campus, learners proudly planted 800 native, trees and shrubs on a small site at the Tait House complex, which creates social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in Southill and other inner city areas in Limerick.
Volunteers helping to plant a Tiny Forest at Limerick and Clare ETB’s College of FET, Croom Campus.
Following on from the success of this project the ETB’s College of FET Croom Campus also recently planted its own Tiny Forest with staff and learners and a group of Ukrainian volunteers helping to plant over 1,200 native Irish trees. Schoolchildren from the neighbouring St. Mary’s National School also joined in to help out with the planting making it a truly inspiring community effort. Check out all the action from the College of FET, Croom Campus planting day below.
Speaking about the initiative Colm Galvin, co-founder of Tiny Forests, said the Limerick-based social enterprise has a mission to create community woodlands that offer communities and organisations a genuine way to become more environmentally sustainable. “Tiny Forests bring the benefits of native woodlands into the heart of our cities and urban spaces: connecting people with nature, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, as well as increasing biodiversity and wildlife habitats.”
Students from Thomond Community College busy planting at their school.
Limerick and Clare ETB school Thomond Community College was also eager to improve the biodiversity at the school and enlisted the help of Living Woodlands earlier this month funded by Irish Cement. Teachers, students, and volunteers helped to plant 900 native Irish trees including oak, alder, hazel, and birch; with this particular Tiny Forest designed to grow up to 10 times faster than other tree-planting initiatives. This, in turn, will help turn the wasteground at the back of the school into a vibrant ecosystem, encouraging wildlife including insects, birds, and other species in an urban space. Thanks to its new lease of life, the outdoor space can also then be used by students which will support their learning and encourage more understanding of biodiversity and environmental issues in their area. To find out more about Tiny Forests and the impact they are making, check out www.livingwoodlands.com.
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