This weee2tree project was started in O’Connell’s Primary School, Richmond St, Dublin 1 in June 2023. The project has been directly funded by Electronic Recycling as part of their commitment to weee2tree.
The project consisted of converting four small sections in the schoolyard into biodiversity corners.
The first task was to prepare the soil for planting, which took place in early winter, when the trees are dormant. To prepare the soil, children from 1st and 2nd Class were enthusiastically involved with Catherine, Ashe and Amy from Pocket Forests as they cleared the ground to prepare it for planting in Winter. This included burying a ”Worm Hotel” in the soil before covering the ground with well-watered, recycled cardboard and woodchips.
When the site preparation was finished, the children returned to their classrooms for a creative writing workshop organised by Fighting Words to write stories about the experience. One of these stories, incorporating the ”Worm Hotel” is available to read on the Fighting Words website HERE
Over the summer the worms multiplied and spread through the prepared soil, enriching it with the nutrients needed to ensure a perfect growing space for the trees and the shrubs that will grow there over the coming years.
Pocket Forests returned to the school on the 20th December for the planting and the children had another opportunity to learn more about biodiversity. Hawthorn, Spindle, Alder, Hazel, Whitebeam, Rowan were planted
Pocket Forests will return to O’Connell’s School in May 2024 to monitor the progress of the planted trees with the children. The beauty of this project is that it will facilitate the education of the children in O’Connell’s Primary School on biodiversity for many years to come.