This week on Ours to Protect we’re taking a look at a project to grow native trees that’s being rolled out in 35 primary schools across Kerry.
From September almost a thousand children will learn how to grow their own oak trees from acorns gathered locally.
Ours to Protect is brought to you by Radio Kerry and the IBI and funded by Commisiún na Mean with the television licence fee.
Local Roots aims to create 100 new community powered native forests in Kerry by 2030. They hope to be able to donate 10,000 local trees to community projects every year from 2026 onwards. To do that they need volunteers to help with collecting seeds, weeding in the polytunnels, planting trees and growing oak trees from acorns.
Local roots have had lots of community help with their project, from children growing acorns in the classroom to TY students helping out in the polytunnels.
Sean O’Leary and Thomas Brosnan from Kilcummin are TY students at the Intermediate School Killorglin.
Debbie Reynolds is co-founder of local roots. Debbie says the pilot project has been so successful 35 primary schools in Kerry have signed up for this coming school year.
Primary schools who would like to get involved in the Acorn Quest Project can contact Local Roots
If you have a few spare hours and you’d like to get involved with this lovely project you can email them at [email protected] or you’ll find them on social media.
