Planting trees is all in a day’s work for Daingean Uí Chúis páistí

Little nippers from Bunscoil an Chlochair, Daingean Uí Chúis proved their mettle by recently helping to plant over 30 native Irish trees at Dingle Water Treatment Plant as part of Uisce Éireann’s biodiversity programme. The 5^th and 6^th class pupils arrived on site assisted by their teachers, where they were met by members of Uisce Éireann’s South West Region Biodiversity Forum. Forum members along with Charlie O’Leary, Asset Operations Water Lead for Kerry, Eleanor Turner, Kerry County Council Biodiversity Officer and the caretaker on the day, John Sullivan were in attendance. 

 Mr. Sullivan gave a very informative overview to the pupils about the workings of their local water treatment plant. A demonstration of planting one of the trees was given as gaeilge by an Inspector from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. The Uisce Éireann biodiversity officer, David Fallon gave a brief talk on the type of native trees being planted and their importance to biodiversity. The children also put their names on the trees that they had planted. 

 Anna Brosnan, Chair of the South West Region Biodiversity Forum heaped praised on the eager students and said it is inspiring to see how keen and knowledgeable the pupils are about diversity. “They have planted hope for the future by planting over 30 native Irish trees at the site. To mark our planting event, we are erecting a plaque near the boundary of the treatment plant. It is a wonderful thought that in 20 or 30 years’ time, these children might be passing the treatment plant and will look up and see they trees they planted when they were young,” said Anna. 

 She continued: “Trees are the lungs of our planet and without them, we wouldn't survive. Uisce Éireann treats around 1.7 billion litres of clean drinking water across the country and returns around 1.6 billion litres of treated wastewater safely to the environment every day. This means our sites cross a range of natural habitats and we are delighted when we proactively contribute to enhancing biodiversity by expanding these habitats further by planting more trees.” 

“Uisce Éireann recognises the urgent need to increase our efforts to halt the decline of biodiversity. We are committed to building infrastructure that protects and, where possible, enhances our ecosystems through our sustainability framework and initiatives. By reducing the number of times we cut our grass on site, and indeed in our own gardens at home, we are giving plants more time to flower, and in turn more chances for pollinators to survive. Planting native trees is also essential for absorbing greenhouse gases, improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity. We can all play our part in protecting and enhancing our precious environment.”

Caitlín Uí Shiúrdáin, class teacher at Bunscoil an Chlochair, expressed her delight at the recent efforts of the pupils to engage with environmental sustainability. "Our visit to the local water treatment plant was an invaluable experience for the pupils, showing them the vital work involved in providing clean, safe drinking water for our community. It highlighted how closely the health of our water supply is tied to the well-being of our natural environment,” said Caitlín Uí Shiúrdáin. 

“As a Green School, we are deeply committed to fostering a love and respect for nature. Activities like this, along with hands-on projects such as tree planting, help the children see how small actions can make a big difference. Whether it’s reducing waste, protecting wildlife, or letting wildflowers grow, these efforts contribute not only to biodiversity but also to cleaner water and a healthier planet. The pupils are passionate about inspiring others to make conscious choices, and together we can all play a part in building a more sustainable future,” she said. 

The first of the 1,000 native trees were planted by the pupils and included a mixture of oak and birch. Other trees which will be planted at a later date including Scots Pine, Spindle, Crab Apple and Hazel. 

 Find out more about Uisce Éireann's Biodiversity Action Plan at www.water.ie/projects/local-projects/biodiversity-action-plan