Residents in Ards can pick up a tree for free next week (from Monday 17 February), when 1,200 native species are made available at no cost.
Birch, alder, mountain ash, oak and cherry will be on offer to encourage local people to plant a tree in their own gardens and as a result to help improve biodiversity – our plants, animals and the habitats in which they live – at a very local level. 
The giveaway is part of the work of the ‘Action for Biodiversity’ project, which is managed by the East Border Region group of local authorities which includes Ards Borough Council, and is funded by the European Union’s INTERREG IVA Cross Border Programme.
“Every tree planted contributes to improving the biodiversity of the local area, so this really is a case of small actions by individuals having a big, positive impact on the environment as a whole,” said Andrew McLawrence, Assistant Borough Inspector with the Council. “I look forward to seeing new trees being planted in gardens right across the Ards and making an instant difference to the area’s biodiversity”.
A selection of trees will be available from each of Ards Borough Council’s recycling centres from Monday 17 February while stocks last and are limited to 2 trees per person in the first instance. The trees are approximately 4-feet tall and bare-rooted which means they will need to be planted directly into the ground or the roots covered with a secure bag until planting.
For further information, contact Andrew McLawrence, Ards Borough Council, Tel: 028 9182 4045.
]]>
