News Release Page Title

10 February 2000

"THANKS A MILLION " SAM FOSTER TELLS CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS

Mr Sam Foster, Minister for the Environment, visited Enniskillen today to help promote the Millennium Tree Campaign in the local community. The Campaign is an ambitious project aimed at achieving the planting of one and a half million trees in Northern Ireland by the end of the current planting season, in April 2000. It is organised by Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland (CVNI).

In praising the volunteers at the ceremony, which included poetry and drama from local primary school children, Mr Foster said: "Northern Ireland has considerably fewer trees than the European average. Unless we have a continuing programme of planting trees, promoting natural regeneration and managing woodlands, the landscape we value and cherish will inevitably deteriorate.

I commend the contribution CVNI has made to tree planting in Northern Ireland and ecause of their hard work under the Millennium Tree Campaign, the target of achieving one and a half million trees by the end of the current planting season is now within reach."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The Millennium Tree Campaign event was held at St Theresa’s Primary School, Mill Street, Enniskillen at 11am Thursday 10 February.
  2. It was a joint initiative organised by CVNI and the Industrial Development Board whose Deputy Chief Executive for Inward Investment, Mr Leslie Ross, was also present.
  3. The event was also attended by pupils from local schools and representatives of local community groups. It featured poetry presentations on a conservation theme by the pupils of St Theresa’s Primary School and also the play "The Man who Planted Trees" by Sion Mills Primary School.
  4. The Minister and Mr Ross then planted a tree at the nearby Carran Business Park at 12.15pm.
  5. The Minister arrived at Castle Archdale Park at 2pm and toured the Park’s various facilities and features. This included a visit to CVNI’s Fermanagh Office.
  6. Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland (CVNI) are the Northern Ireland Branch of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and shares its principal aim of promoting opportunities for volunteers to undertake conservation work on such activities as tree planting and woodland management.
  7. For further information please contact Philip Maguire DOE Press Office Tel 01232 540013 e mail philip.j.maguire@doeni.gov.uk.