Northern Ireland

Belfast residents' group plants seeds for million trees plan

From left, Orla Dowds Roddy, Gerard Daye, Craig Somerville, Peter Diehl and Mary Carberry, from the Belfast Metropolitan Residents' Group and the National Trust, at the launch of their plan to plant one million trees over the next 15 years. Picture Mal McCann
From left, Orla Dowds Roddy, Gerard Daye, Craig Somerville, Peter Diehl and Mary Carberry, from the Belfast Metropolitan Residents' Group and the National Trust, at the launch of their plan to plant one million trees over the next 15 years. Picture Ma From left, Orla Dowds Roddy, Gerard Daye, Craig Somerville, Peter Diehl and Mary Carberry, from the Belfast Metropolitan Residents' Group and the National Trust, at the launch of their plan to plant one million trees over the next 15 years. Picture Mal McCann
By By Mairead Holland

A GROUP of Belfast residents planted four oak trees yesterday in what they hope is just the start of a 'growing' project.

Belfast Metropolitan Residents' Group want to see at least one million trees planted across the city over the next 15 years.

The launch by the group of volunteers took place in the Mount Eagles Play Area at Lagmore Glen and was attended by representatives from Belfast City Council, the Harbour Commissioners Office and the National Trust.

Member Mary Carberry said studies showed the benefits of trees not just for physical but for mental health.

"In Singapore, they have planted over a million trees and you can go onto the website and see where the different trees are, while in Milan they have planted three million," she said.

"Belfast is very polluted because of its geography - we are a low-lying area - but the city is opening up to tourists and we want to see a good news story coming out of it.

"We are linking up with a Mount Eagles group which has already planted 1,600 trees."

The group is hoping to get statutory bodies, young people, schools, young offenders and tourists involved in the project.

"We are just taking baby steps at the moment and but we will do all we can to get people on board to reach a million," she added.

SDLP councillor Brian Heading said he will bring forward a motion to Belfast City Council to back a co-ordinated effort to see the project through to the end.