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Tree huggers: Launching ‘Killarney Celebration of Trees’ which includes an attempt to create a world record-breaking tree hug, are Pat Dawson, Regional Manager, National Parks & Wildlife Service, Duncan Stewart, Eco Eye TV series, who launched the festival, Tom Roche, Just Forests, Carmel Brosnan, organising committee, Johnny McGuire, Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce.
PICTURE: VALERIE O'SULLIVAN
 

 
GO ON, show your love for trees by giving one a big hug. A four-day celebration of trees in Killarney will include an attempt to create a record-breaking tree hug. The event, which was launched today, will take in the restored Killarney House & Gardens on Friday, May 20, as part of the Celebrations of Trees event, which runs from Thursday, May 19, to Sunday, May 22.
The tree hug will involve students from local schools in the Killarney area as well as local businesses and visitors.
TV personality and architect Duncan Stewart, who revealed details of the event at the launch in the Killarney Plaza Hotel, praised the timely series of activities to raise awareness of trees. “We must start to sustainably manage all our natural resources for future development,” he said.
“The Killarney Celebration of Trees weekend is all about helping people to understand and appreciate the priceless contribution trees make to the quality of all our lives.”
Carmel Brosnan of the organising committee said the “mega tree hug” on May 20 will involve Killarney school students as well as local businesses and visitors. “Everyone is welcome to participate. Assembly points will be announced on a dedicated website www.killarneycelebrationoftrees.com,” said Carmel.
Other tree-related activities will include talks on trees by author and tree expert Thomas Pakenham and award-winning Chelsea Flower Show garden designer Mary Reynolds.
Guided walks around Killarney National Park, the State’s oldest National Park, will also take place daily.
The main event on Saturday, May 21, will be the ‘Sound of Wood’ concert in St Mary’s ‘Church of the Sloes’ (Church of Ireland), featuring soprano and harpist Marina Cassidy, Killarney School of Music and performers from the Academy of Irish Music and Dance at the University of Limerick.
The newly refurbished Killarney House & Gardens is the setting for a talk by Duncan Stewart, who produces the Eco Eye TV series, and Fr Sean McDonagh, a leading campaigner on climate change and biodiversity, on Sunday, May 22 – UN International Day of Biological Diversity.
The weekend will culminate in the creation of the ‘Killarney Declaration on Nature’, which local businesses will be asked to sign up to.
The declaration aims to embed a mentality of sustainable development in the economic fabric of the Killarney area and encourage eco-tourism.
“I am delighted to launch this timely series of activities to raise awareness of trees and I would encourage all economic interests in the greater Killarney area to adopt the ‘Killarney Declaration on Nature’ as a means of ensuring sustainable development and quality eco-tourism for future generations,” said Duncan Stewart.
The weekend is being organised by Just Forests in association with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Killarney National Park, Killarney Tidy Towns, Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce and the Trustees of Muckross House.
Cinema Killarney will host the Irish cinema premiere of ‘Nature is Speaking’ a series of short films featuring Robert Redford, Liam Neeson and Julia Roberts on Thursday, May 19.
Killarney Public Library is the venue for Just Forests very popular development education exhibition Wood of Life, which makes “local and global” links on Ireland’s reliance on tropical forests.
Killarney Outlet Centre will host a fascinating exhibition of the world’s most commercial timbers. The ‘World Timber Collection’ consists of 850 wood samples from all over the world (with their original hand-written labels) and was developed by Viscount Powerscourt in 1930 and this will be the first time the collection has been on public display for many years.
For further information on all events and how you can register for the tree hug, visit the dedicated website at: www.killarneycelebrationoftrees.com