An event is set to take place in Belfast's Ormeau Park as part of the Council's One Million Trees project.

Members of the public are being encouraged to plant trees across the city, with the Council giving trees away to a good home on Saturday, 22 January.

Taking place at the bandstand in Ormeau Park from 10am - 3pm, locals can support the project while listening to some poetry and folklore, and learn about the history of woodlands across Ormeau and Belvoir.

Belfast One Million Trees aims to plant one million native trees across Belfast by 2035 in an effort to reduce carbon, improve air quality and reduce flooding.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Kate Nicholl said: "The challenge to plant one million trees by 2035 is very ambitious and we know this- but that doesn't mean it isn't achievable.

-- Advertisement --

"Since Council announced a climate emergency in 2019, we have been proactively taking a lead in tackling climate change. Having just returned from COP26, it is fantastic to hear about the progress being made with the One Million Trees project and it is really encouraging to hear that over 40,000 trees have already been planted in the city and city regions since the project was launched last year."

Belfast One Million Trees was inspired by an original idea from the Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group and it is a collaboration between public, private and voluntary sector partners.

The project is one of Council's programmes to support climate adaptation across Belfast and forms a major part of the city's Resilience Strategy which aims to transition Belfast to an inclusive zero emissions, climate-resilient economy within a generation.

Councillor Nicholl added: "The One Million Trees campaign is a fantastic and practical example of how we can do one wee thing to help tackle the climate crisis together- individuals, families and communities from across Belfast can all be a part of this and the 'Give a Tree a Home event' on Saturday is just one way of continuing to build momentum and boost the planting figure even further."

The project's key partners include the Woodland Trust, the Conservation Volunteers and Belfast Hills Partnership.