The project which is being developed with the Mercey Secondary School in Kilbeggan. started during National Tree Week and saw the planting of an area of native trees on the school grounds.
This weee2tree project is being directly sponsored by KMK Metals Recycling and is a follow up to our first project completed at O’Connell’s School Dublin in November 2023, which was directly sponsored by Electronic Recycling
The Mercy Secondary School KIlbeggan was chosen by KMK Metals Recycling as an ideal location for their first directly sponsored weee2tree project.
Pocket Forests, a social enterprise that helps communities to grow small native woodlands in urban areas has been engaged by weee2tree to facilitate the development of our projects.
The project kicked off on Thursday 7th March with Catherine and Amy from Pocket Forests giving a hands-on demonstration to the Students, Teachers and members of the KMK Metals Recycling Environmental Compliance Team as to how they plant the trees, the appropriate distances required between the plants, the detailed information on each tree species and the ongoing maintenance that will be needed.
Seventy-five Native Irish Trees and shrubs were planted, made up of 12 different species including: Downy birch, Crab apple, Hawthorn, Grey willow, Elder, Spindle, Guelder rose, Alder buckthorn Hazel, Dog rose and Cherry.
Pocket Forests will conduct a follow-up workshop in May, when the trees will have had a chance to become established. This second workshop will involve more planting and a further opportunity for the students to expand their knowledge of Native Irish Trees and managing the biodiversity area surrounding the planting.
Brendan Palmer CEO Electronic Recycling
I am absolutely delighted to see our second weee2tree native tree planting project go ahead at Mercy Secondary School in Kilbeggan. Combining the environmental and biodiversity advantages of native tree planting with education. We are now looking forward to our customers, suppliers and the WEEE Industry generally coming on board to help fund the ongoing development of the weee2tree concept.
Teacher Shaun Horan, who is the Green Schools Coordinator for the school, said: “On behalf of Mercy Kilbeggan Secondary School, I would like to thank everyone at KMK Kilbeggan for organising Pocket Forests to visit our school. As our school is aiming to achieve its biodiversity flag, we were very grateful for a local business to support our efforts. Our students found it a very enjoyable experience. The students also stated that they grasped a better understanding of what biodiversity is and how they can help biodiversity in their local area of Kilbeggan.”
Eamonn Pidgeon, Compliance Manager of KMK Metals Recycling, commented: “The workshop and planting of the native trees on the grounds of the Mercy Secondary School was a great success and the teachers were delighted with how it all went. The students enjoyed it and were very actively involved with Catherine and Amy from Pocket Forests. It was a great learning experience. The 75 trees were planted and old cardboard boxes were placed around the tress to prevent grass growing while mulch was placed on top. The school will now maintain the area monthly as part of their Green Schools role and monitor it throughout the year. It also provides an area for peace and quiet while surrounded by nature, in particular the birds who were already showing interest. The school’s woodwork teacher will also be building birdboxes with the students which will help attract even more birds to the area.”
weee2tree, incorporated in 2022 as a not-for-profit initiative, co-sponsored by Electronic Recycling, Dublin and KMK Metals Recycling, Tullamore to fund the development of native Irish trees, recreational woodlands and other biodiversity programmes. This initiative will allow customers of Electronic Recycling and KMK Metals Recycling to contribute financially to future projects,
