Princess Anne Unveils WWI Wood

Plans for a Centenary Wood to commemorate the First World War in Northern Ireland have been unveiled by the Woodland Trust during a two-day visit by Princess Anne.

With the Princess Royal as Patron, the Trust’s Centenary Woods project will see four flagship woods created throughout the UK to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

The 53-acre site is located eight miles south-east of L'Derry. It sits between the Woodland Trust’s Oaks Wood, which was planted in the year 2000, and the Trust’s Killaloo Wood. Nearby are Tamnymore Wood, part of Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s Ness Country Park, and the Woodland Trust’s Burntollet Wood, planted in 2009/2010.

The news follows the launch of England’s Centenary Wood on land near Epsom in Surrey and it is expected that Scottish and Welsh woods will be announced next month. In total, the project is expected to see over three million native trees planted across the UK, representing the millions of lives lost and affected by the war.

Patrick Cregg, director of the Woodland Trust in Northern Ireland, said: "We are delighted to announce plans for Northern Ireland’s Centenary Wood and are grateful that The Princess Royal has taken the time to visit this beautiful site.

"Here, we aim to plant up to 40,000 native trees and create carpets of wildflowers, including iconic poppies. And we hope that a special memorial area, possibly by the banks of the stunning River Faughan, will provide a place for quiet reflection.

"This new wood will be a living, lasting tribute to the people from the island of Ireland who fought or supported others during the war."

Mr Cregg continued: "This site has an absolutely ideal location. We have the renowned River Faughan running alongside us; while a number of woods, including fragments of ancient woodland, dot the nearby banks of the river. Species here include endangered red squirrels, otters, kingfishers and purple hairstreak butterflies. Our goal is to create a new stretch of glorious woodland, which will link the nearby woods and form a continuous wildlife corridor."

(IT)