Madam, – An article on tree- planting in the UK quoted the Woodland Trust as advising the planting of 20 million trees a year for the next 50 years (Bulletin Page, July 1st). In 2000, with much fanfare, our government launched the People’s Millennium Forests programme which projected the planting of a native tree for each household in the country, i.e. 1.2 million trees. Not an overly ambitious project in view of the UK’s plan, but very laudable nonetheless. Each household was to receive notification of the location of its tree and its identifying number.
Ten years on, would it not be an interesting exercise to see how the Millennium Forests are progressing? Recently, I decided to view “my” tree at Tourmakeady, Co Mayo. It was a disappointing trip. What I saw was an area of chiefly birch so densely planted as to to resemble scrub land, with just a few oak and Scots pine visible. Forestry management appears to be at a minimum. No identifying numbers appear on the trees. I wonder what is the experience of readers regarding the other forests? – Yours, etc,