Broadcasting botanist Bellamy brings foliage to Foyle View

CELEBRITY botanist Professor David Bellamy dug his heels in in Londonderry recently helping plant 200 trees and explain the benefits of biodiversity and tree planting to local pupils at Foyle View school.

The sapling trees were donated by a local call centre and Professor Bellamy, a Tree Appeal patron, enlivened the planting

day by giving a talk about the need to nurture the environment and the importance that trees play in helping to preserve the ecosystem.

One of the UK's leading environmentalists, he praised the Firstsource initiative and said: "Along with Tree Appeal, I have visited schools the length and breadth of the UK, planting native broadleaf trees to help future generations forge important bonds with nature.

"Trees are amazing things. They live longer than we do and throughout their lives, they do something useful every second of the day. By planting trees, Firstsource are making a commitment to the environment which will endure for many hundreds of years and are helping us with our mission of growing trees and growing minds."

Sean Canning, Firstsource UK Operations Director, commented: "We are delighted to continue our tree planting donations to local schools and to help develop pupils’ interest in the natural environment.

"Our staff have enjoyed getting involved with helping pupils to plant the trees and we believe that this initiative benefits everyone.”

This is the fourth year the call centre has worked with the Tree Appeal and donated trees to local schools as part of its tree planting programme which began in 2007.

The donation continues its Corporate Social Responsibility programme in Northern Ireland with tree planting in Belfast Waterworks Park, Claudy Country Park and in schools across Belfast and Londonderry.

This current tree planting brings its total of trees planted locally to over 800 and the total number of trees planted by the Tree Appeal and its partners to 5,000 in Northern Ireland and more than 200,000 in the UK.

Local schools that have received the donations are: Belmont House Special School, Foyle View, Oakgrove Integrated College, Nazareth House Primary School, Trench Road Nursery, Model Primary School and St. Mary's College.

The trees are all native broad-leafed varieties, supplied by the Tree Appeal. The tree donation will not only contribute to improving the landscape of the schools, but will also help to teach pupils about the natural world and form the basis of nature projects to monitor the progress of the trees as they grow.