Life

Topping up trees

In the news

THE Glens of Antrim are to get a facelift thanks to funding of almost £25,000 from the NGO Challenge Fund.

A new project - delivered by the Heart of the Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme, the Glens Red Squirrel Group and the Woodland Trust - aims to bring much-needed woodland to this beautifully rugged part of the country. Local people are at the heart of the initiative. With the help of farmers, landowners and community groups, the targets are to plant 10 hectares (25 acres) of new native woodland, and to create and restore up to 2.5 miles of hedgerows.

The new hedgerows will link pockets of existing woodland, providing corridors for some precious species of wildlife. There are 1,000 trees for gardens too. Residents have the opportunity to claim up to four free saplings for planting in their garden this March.

For further information contact Laura at the Heart of the Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme on 028 2075 2100; laura@lps.ccght.org; or visit www.heartoftheglens.org

DON'T forget that the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place next weekend. Just pick an hour over the weekend of January 24/25 to count the birds you see in your garden, then let the charity know your findings.

Last year more than 12,000 people in the north took part and of the 127,700 birds counted, house sparrows were the most commonly seen in the region. To register and to learn more visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.

THE Northern Ireland Ornithologists' Club (NIOC) is looking for entries for its annual photographic competition. Finnish wildlife photographer Jari Peltomaki, who is judging the competition, will be giving the NIOC's annual Sam Penney Memorial Lecture entitled Wild Finland in the Lecture Theatre, Ulster Museum on February 4 at 7.30pm.

For more information visit www.nioc.co.uk.