Tirlán suppliers and customers are set to plant over 450,000 native trees and hedgerow plants by 2025.

The target comes off the back of Tirlán Farm Life’s original target of 100,000 trees which its farmers met last year, twelve months ahead of schedule.

The initiative, Tirlán’s ‘Operation Biodiversity’ programme, involves farmers and customers availing of low-cost tree and hedgerow sapling bundles at the co-op’s 52 stores nationwide, including the 14 Tirlán Country Life Garden Centres. Tree buyers can also avail of tree selection and planting guidance from the Tirlán team.

Milestone

To mark the reaching of the 100,000 initial target for trees planted, Tirlán donated 10,000 native Irish trees to its farm family suppliers, customers and community groups. The co-op says that similar free tree donations are now planned as each annual target on the road to 450,000 trees planted between now and 2025 is met.

Alan and Cheryl Poole and two of their children, Isabelle (12) and Danny (9) with Tirlán chair John Murphy and Tirlán Country Life horticulturist Jean Colleran. \ Mary Browne.

Tirlán chair John Murphy said Operation Biodiversity has helped “provide much-needed food and shelter for our native wildlife since its launch in 2020”.

“Every native Irish tree and hedgerow planted builds on the ongoing biodiversity work that farm families are already doing as custodians of the land,” he said.

Tirlán chief ingredients and agri officer Seán Molloy said the speed at which the original 100,000 target was met shows the “appetite for biodiversity and climate action on family farms and in the community”.

He also said the new target to plant 450,000 native trees aligns with the “increased environmental ambitions of the next CAP from 2023 onwards”.

Tree packages

The hedging packages available under Operation Biodiversity at Tirlán stores include a mix of native plants blackthorn, whitethorn, hazel and alder. The bundles available cover approximately 12m of hedging. The tree bundle includes a mix of birch, alder, oak and mountain ash trees.

Isabelle Poole (12) and Tirlán chair John Murphy. \ Mary Browne.

“There’s space for nature on every farm and I’d encourage farmers to talk to our team of experienced horticulturalists and discuss the best tree and hedgerow options to boost biodiversity on their farms. Every tree planted makes a difference,” said chair John Murphy.

For more information, readers can click here or visit one of their local Tirlán Farm Life or Country Life stores.

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