Love Parks this Valentine's Day

Carrickfergus Borough Council has launched its plans for 2014 Love Parks Week on Valentine's Day in the most romantic place possible – the great outdoors. Over the past six years the people of Carrickfergus Borough and throughout the UK have shown how much they love their local parks by getting out and celebrating national Love Parks Week, which takes place between 25th July to 3rd August 2014. Events range from Tai Chi, Zumba & Boot Camps to Moth and Butterfly Hunts and other wildlife events and walks. We want these events to inspire people to get out and enjoy fresh air and the fun of the outdoors. More information at http://www.carrickfergus.org/loveparks

Community Orchard Planting Day on 23rd February 2014

Fruit Tree Planting Event on Sunday 23rd February 2014, starting at 1pm in Whitehead Diamond Jubilee Wood. A full-on family event so, apart from the tree-planting, there’ll be guided walks, artistic endeavours and other attractions. Experts on hand to tell you the stories of the trees, show you how to forage food for free, teach you how to keep a hedge under control. We’ll help you to build your own bird-box, hang some feeders and make a leaf-print. This event is organised by Transition Town Whitehead.

Turning plastic bags into apples: The government's 'carrier bag levy' was started in April 2013; it meant you had to pay a 5p charge when you chose to take a shop's plastic bag with your groceries. This has raised over £3m since then, much of which has been channelled into the NI Environment Agency's NGO Challenge Fund, available to community and voluntary organisations for environmental projects. Transition Town Whitehead has been one of the beneficiaries; and received a grant of almost £8,500 from the fund for their 'Edible Landscape' project. With the ready co-operation of Carrickfergus Borough Council, who manage Diamond Jubilee Wood. They intend to plant a sustainable and edible community orchard in the Diamond Jubilee Wood. The grant has enabled them to buy almost 200 fruit and nut trees - apples, pears, cherries, damsons, walnut, hazelnut - and a mixture of berry bushes. Within a few years, these trees will be bearing fruit, for the benefit of everyone who visits the wood and, indeed, for the bird population as well.

Jim Kitchen, from Transition Town Whitehead, said, "Planting these trees this year is our investment in the future. In a few years' time, we'll literally be able to use the fruits of our labour by making puddings, jams and chutneys from the produce of this orchard. We hope this is the first step in what will become an edible landscape - over the next few years, we can add beehives, fruiting hedgerows and, maybe one day, a full scale community allotment scheme. So, why don't you come along and help us take the first steps. It's all happening on Sunday 23rd February from 1pm to about 4pm. If it's still raining, put on your boots and waterproofs, bring a spade if you have one, and join us for this planting party. You don't need to know anything about planting trees; you just need a wee bit of enthusiasm.

Photo from Hedgerow Event

Celebrate the Christmas Hedgerow

Join hedgerow experts for a FREE fun family day Saturday 30th November 2013 (11am to 1pm) at Eden Allotment Gardens for guided walks, foraging, exploring biodiversity and planting; make seasonal Christmas wreaths and walnut boats; take part in art workshops; plus food demonstrations and tasting of hedgerow drinks, pancakes, jellies. Please bring suitable outdoor clothing and footwear! Web Link: http://www.carrickfergus.org/events/item/455/celebrate-the-christmas-hedgerow/

Tree Week Launched in Carrickfergus Borough

National Tree Week (23rd November - 1st December) is an annual festival to mark the start of the tree planting season, and a nationwide celebration of trees and woods. Alderman May Beattie, Chairperson of the Parks, Countryside & Amenities Sub-Committee has launched Tree Week in Carrickfergus Borough. The launch at Whitehead Diamond Jubilee Wood highlighted our Borough's achievements since the year 2000, in which Carrickfergus Borough Council has planted 165,000 trees and by the end of this tree planting season in March 2014 we will have planted a further 5,000 trees around the Borough.

Alderman Beattie said “Although in recent years, pests and diseases have threatened some of our most loved trees, such as ash and larch, Carrickfergus Borough Council continues to be committed to planting more trees. National Tree Week is a great chance for communities to do something positive for their local treescape. Planting a tree is a very positive thing to do and is great fun, even in the depths of winter. There are plenty of reasons to get planting – it is great exercise, children love it, and you will be making a valuable contribution to our community woodland.” To take part in a tree planting event or for further information contact: Stephen Daye, Parks & Countryside Development Officer at Carrickfergus Borough Council. t: 93358039 or e: parks@carrickfergus.org”. ended Alderman Beattie

Our next tree event: ‘Celebrate the Christmas Hedgerow’on Saturday 30th November 2013 (11am to 1pm) at Eden Allotment Gardens (Beltoy Road, Eden). FREE fun family day with guided walks, foraging, exploring biodiversity and planting; make seasonal Christmas wreaths and walnut boats; take part in art workshops; plus food demonstrations and tasting of hedgerow drinks, pancakes and jellies. For further information please visit www.carrickfergus.org/events

For further information on this or future tree planting events please contact the Council’s Parks Service on 9335 8000. More tree planting events will take place in January, February and March to keep in touch visit www.carrickfergus.org/treeweek.

Photograph: L to R (Top) - Damian Armstong (Princes Trust), Alderman May Beattie (Carrickfergus BC), Beverley Todd (CAN Peace 3), Gerry Drake (Princes Trust), Courtney Laughlin (Princes Trust), L to R (below) - Olivia Smith & Peter Topping (Pupils from Whitehead Primary School).

Lantern Making at Oakfield Glen

Join the Woodland Trust for a free family lantern making workshop then take your lantern down into Oakfield Glen to hear our storyteller! It takes place on Saturday 26 October. Workshop sessions start at 6pm and 6.45pm in Oakfield Community Centre and booking is essential as places are strictly limited. To book a place(s) please contact michellemccaughtry@woodlandtrust.org.uk or phone 02891 275787. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please wear suitable outdoor clothing. No Chinese lanterns/naked flames permitted. Event Link: http://www.carrickfergus.org/events/item/435/lantern-making-event/

Ashes to Ashes

Recommend listening to the Radio 4 documentary 'Ashes to Ashes'. A year on from the discovery of the fungus Adam Hart investigates how quickly Ash dieback has spread across the country. Scientists are now sequencing the genomes of Ash and Chalara fraxinea - the fungus that is causing Ash dieback - in an effort to find why some trees are not dying from the disease. He also learns of another threat to our Ash trees - the emerald ash borer - which is currently found west of Moscow and is heading towards us. He discovers this pest has already infested Ash in North America and has left a trail of destruction behind it. Link to BBC Listen Again iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03bg4vh