The One Hundred Million Trees Project (100MT) is excited to announce the commencement of its new nationwide planting season, starting this Sunday, 19 November.
With an ambitious target of planting up to 250,000 native broadleaf trees nationally this season, the project team is gearing up for a season of growth, sustainability, and impactful environmental change.
Now entering its second year, 100MT Project founder Richard Mulcahy and his brother David, say they are even more committed to ensuring 100 million trees get planted in small-forest formation at thousands of locations nationwide, throughout the coming decade.
Richard Mulcahy said “We were absolutely thrilled to meet our launch objective of planting 20,000 trees in year 1 but this year, we have much greater ambitions and aim to deliver over ten times that amount in 2024. By next April, we aim to have 200,000 to 250,000 new young native tree varieties planted in the ground at over 75 different sites around the country. It’s a huge step up but we have adapted to enable ourselves to do much more in the 23/24 planting season.
“We couldn’t do it without the help of our loyal volunteers, our generous sponsors Uniphar Group plc and our partners at Bord Bia. Also Wexford County Council gave us great support over the past 12 months. We are also delighted this year to draw on the professional assistance of one of Ireland’s leading private forestry management companies Forestry Services Ltd who will be central to our scaling up of activities.
Paddy Bruton, MD of Forestry Services Ltd and Euroforest Ireland said “We are very excited to be involved in this project and proud to have been selected by the 100 Million Trees project team. As well as the important benefit of helping absorb CO2, this project has so many upsides in terms of improved biodiversity, landscape, water quality and providing new habitat for wildlife. It also sends a very important message to the wider public about the positive legacy they can create for future generations.”
The 100MT project will be planting 17 sites in the weeks coming up to Christmas including Fairyhouse Race Course in Meath, Limerick Race Course, Glenstall Abbey, Limerick and Festina Lente in Bray. The first site to be planted this Sunday, will be a memorial mini forest in Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow. Dedicated to the late Pat Blake, the One Hundred Million Trees Project will plant on a family owned site that held special significance to Pat and his loved ones. A dedicated nature enthusiast, Pat died prematurely in August 2022.
Pat’s wife, Deirdre, has expressed her gratitude for this unique and eco-friendly memorial “When his brother Martin suggested we plant 2000 trees for Pat, I thought this was a great idea. It really helped me with my grief because at a time of great sadness and this really gave me hope. Pat loved trees, he loved the bright greens in spring and then the autumn colours. He was born was born in Belfast and raised in the Troubles, so all he wanted was a peaceful life and so I would love this forest to be a peaceful place where people can just sit and just be calm and tranquil. It will also be a safe place for nature to thrive.”
The One Hundred Million Trees Project encourages community members, environmental enthusiasts, and volunteers to join together in achieving this season’s ambitious goal. Planting up to 250,000 trees over the coming months can only be achieved with collective effort and great dedication, but with huge spirt behind the campaign from supporters and sponsors alike, the project aims to make a very significant impact on reforestation and environmental conservation.
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