Major milestone reached in Laois with planting of 30,000th tree in Portlaoise

From little acorns to giant oaks grow is a saying that can easily applied to a Portlaoise project that is playing a huge part in making Portlaoise a better place to live.

Portlaoise Tidy Towns has marked a major milestone at the St Fintan's Health Campus with the planting of its 30,000th tree in the town since 2019 when it set out to sow 10,000 around the town.

The tree planting took place on the day when the committee members joined with HSE staff and service users to plant hundreds more trees on Wednesday, February 28 as part of a green campus project underway at St Fintan's. 

The Tidy Towns aim to have 35,000 trees planted this year supplied by the Trees on the Land charity in collaboration with Laois County Council. The St Fintan's Green Team will also be working with the Tidy Towns on more sustainability projets.

Vincent Booth spoke about the Leinster Express / Laois Live about exceeding a target set in 2019.

“About six years ago we set ourselves a target of 10,000 trees and now we have reached 30,000 trees and we are going to keep going and set ourselves a new target,” he said.

The new aim is likely to be 40,000 trees and by the end of 2024 they'll be halfway there with 35,000 trees rooted into Laois soil around the county town.

Mr Booth said the trees planted around Portlaoise have been sourced free from the Trees on the Land charity. He also paid tribute to Laois County Council which has given its full support and practical help in the shape of manpower and other supports for planting much of which has been done by dedicated Tidy Towns volunteers.

He spoke about the vision behind the planting.

“It is really about fixing and improving the biodiversity of Portlaoise and also the town’s image and making Portlaoise a better place to live work and socialise like our motto says - Love where you live,” said Mr Booth. More below picture.

He said the collaboration with HSE at St Fintan’s fits into this big-picture vision for the town as will as fitting perfectly with the Town in the Garden project which has involved multiple and varied initiatives.

Mr Booth said it was really important for the Tidy Towns to be involved with the Green Team at St Fintan's which share's their aim. 

“We have one vision which is to plant trees to improve biodiversity in the Portlaoise environment,” he said.

Laois County Council has worked hand in hand with Portlaoise Tidy Towns and is supportive of the HSE efforts at St Fintan’s. Michael Buckley is a horticulturalist who is the Executive Parks & Landscape Officer at the council.

He attended the planting of hundreds of trees on a site behind the Midoc out-of-hours GP centre off the Dublin Road. Mr Buckley believes partnership benefits all.

“Everybody is working together and everybody is going to benefit from what is being done,” said 

Laois native Brian Gaynor is a Project Officer with Trees on the Land which has been central to Portlaoise’s achievements. They have also supplied the trees for the St Fintan’s Green team.

He said upwards of 1,000 trees will be planted around St Fintan’s along with other initiatives on the campus outlined in a master plan completed in 2023. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Mr Gaynor is well positioned to assess the tree planting efforts made in Portlaoise as Trees on the Land supplies trees across the island to farms, schools, community and support groups.

The landscape architect described the tree planting achievement in Portlaoise as ‘massive’. He said few communities are planting as many trees as has been happening in Portlaoise. He attributed the success to collaboration.

“They are leading the way and I think the partnership between the council and the Tidy Towns in finding sites for planting has been great,” he said.

Members of the HSE Estates team attended the latest initiative at St Fintan's. Evan Weatherup, Energy Officer, and Ken Hyland, Sustainability Officer, were there with Stephen Murphy· National Sustainability and  Development Manager.  

Mr Murphy said the HSE sees the project as part of its drive for sustainability and help climate action but also for the benefit of the wellbeing of staff and service users.

“We support the local teams to take sustainable actions with funding and advice. There is huge potential in the grounds and this is only the start of work,” he said.

He added that another benefit can be to strengthen the link between St Fintan’s and the community.

“It’s a win-win because if local people use the facilities they will become healthier,” he said.

Mr Hyland said the planting of trees is the first step in the implementation of the plan for the campus. He said other initiatives at St Fintan’s will include growing meadows, revitalising the orchard to make it more accessible.

Mr Weatherup said the staff-led volunteer Green Team wanted to play their part and worked with Brian Gaynor on what could be done. He said HSE service users are also on the team which has been operating for three years at St Fintan’s. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Some 240 trees, from Oaks to crabapple, were planted on February 28. The morning's work was concluded with the ceremonial planting by Vincent Booth and HSE service user Mick McCarthy of an Oak sapling near the front of the hospital.