The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland supports the replacement of trees at Racecourse Lough, Enniskillen

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council welcomes the generous support provided by The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland to enable the planting of new trees at Racecourse Lough, Enniskillen.

Unfortunately in February 2024, the Council reported that over half the trees which had been planted at Racecourse Lough were vandalised within only a few days of being planted.

The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland generously agreed to replace the trees through its MOREwoods programme and these were planted by the Council’s Climate Action Team on 27 March 2024.  During the planting of the trees, the Team carefully tended to some of the vandalised trees and left them in place.  It is hoped that these trees will recover and thrive, thereby contributing to the ongoing vitality of the natural surroundings.

Speaking about the tree planting, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Thomas O’Reilly, said:

“It was disheartening for the Council and the local community that the trees which had been planted were vandalised within a few days of being planted.

We are extremely grateful to The Woodland Trust here in the North of Ireland for generously providing new trees to replace those which were vandalised.

Tree planting is one action the Council is taking to enhance our parks and open spaces and to help to mitigate against the Climate Change and Biodiversity crises.”

The Council is committed to increasing tree cover across the District as part of its Biodiversity Strategy and Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategy.  The planting of these new trees will ensure we can still achieve this objective.

The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland’s MOREwoods programme aims to create new habitat for wildlife across the UK.  This collaborative effort reflects the shared commitment to safeguarding our local ecosystems and promoting sustainable practices.

The Council would encourage anyone who witnesses any incidents of vandalism on Council property and assets to report this to the PSNI.

For more information on the Council’s Climate Action work, visit www.fermnaghomagh.com, email climate@fermanaghomagh.com or telephone 0300 303 1777.