Athenry Tidy Towns Group has an ambitious plan to plant up to 5,000 native trees  We have decided to plant all of Irelands native trees and shrubs around the town, even though a small number of them would not be particularly native to this area. We will develop a specimen tree trail once the plants are somewhat mature, with identification and information boards. As part of this plan we will also develop a number of wildflower meadows in different spots around the town and develop wildflower corridors to these meadows.These trees, shrubs and wildflowers will provide nesting and feeding habitats for a huge variety of insects, birds and wildlife. The Skylark Centre and the seven local national schools in the parish will be doing the planting for us and we hope to see a huge amount of parents and children come out on the day of the planting, 9.00 am 10th December 2011. We realise that some people living in the parish attend schools outside the parish and if they wish to come along to help out with the planting they are more than welcome. The Tidy Towns group has organised a large number of volunteers that will be involved in traffic calming and management as the plantings take place beside some busy roads. We will require that all children taking part wear Hi-Viz vests and are accompanied by a parent. Gloves are not compulsory but would be a good idea. We would ask parents to bring a spade with them if possible as we will not be able to provide enough spades. The planting will begin at 9.00am and we would expect it to take approximately an hour depending on the numbers that turn up. We hope to have photographs taken in each area during and after the planting. We would like to get a photo of each school group at their site to put with a certificate of participation, that we will present to each school. These photos will be in the local papers and put up on our website. RTE, TV3 and TG4 have all been invited to attend. The trees and shrubs are all saplings and the planting is not a difficult job. The spade is put into the ground and moved forwards and back a few time to loosen the earth. The sapling is then put in behind the spade, taking care not to damage the roots, to the depth where the roots and stem meet. The spade is then removed and the earth either side of the sapling is heeled firmly down. The Tidy Towns Group will look after the maintenance of the saplings for the next few years which will require regular strimming until the trees are somewhat mature. Most of these trees are medium to fast growing and should be of substantial size in 5 to 10 years.  Opposite Gort Na Mhaoilir – Gaelscoil Riada
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Around roundabout on Derrydonnell Road – Carnaun National School
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Road out to flyover – Coldwood National School & Liheenkyle National School
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Bank of incomplete flyover – Tidy Towns Group
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Road between two roundabouts going towards motorway – Tidy Towns Group
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Left Hand Side approaching Joyces from Motorway – Newcastle National School
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Right hand side after Joyces towards dublin road roundabout and out towards cemetry – Scoil Chroi Naofa & Athenry Boys School
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From pump house building on road from cemetry to past roundabout on council yard side – Athenry Boys School
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------- Total 1,109
New Line - Tidy Towns Group Bird Cherry 25 Total of each Tree variety
Ash 20 Pedunculate Oak 20 Sessile Oak 20 Scots Pine 20 European Spindle 28 Wild Cherry 150 Bird Cherry 86 Crabapple 33 Blackthorn 150 Hawthorn 28 Killarney Strawberry 23 Alder Buckthorn 30 Guelder Rose 50 Silver Birch 35 Juniper 35 Holly 63 Downey Birch 25 Rowan 70 Goat Willow 60 Black Alder 25 Hazel 93 Elderberry 70 ------ 1,134 |