An unusual social enterprise delivering vital work in Magilligan is seeking help to bring unique prisoner rehabilitation and environmental benefits to the community.
Magilligan Tree Nursery staff members, who are part of the Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust charity, work with a team of prison inmates who assist with day-to-day tree nursery tasks.
Meanwhile, the project’s uncompromising sustainability ethos includes an insistence that only UK and Ireland-sourced trees are grown. This reduces reliance on trees imported from Europe and, by addressing the risk of disease being brought into the local tree population, supports the ecological resilience of native trees.
The team’s passion for ecologically responsible production – including peat-free, organic methods avoiding routine use of herbicides or pesticides – adds another way volunteers will be joining an enterprise determined to make a real difference through its work.
Magilligan Tree Nursery Co-ordinator Aisling Gribbin why the volunteering opportunities are so worthwhile:
We think someone with a love of the outdoors would really benefit from being part of a project delivering so much for those in the criminal justice system. Plus, the work of the tree nursery is bringing badly-needed native trees to our community.
We’re passionate about making this happen, if you share our passion for helping people and bringing native trees back to our local environment then we’d love to hear from you!
Magilligan tree nursery is delivered in partnership with The Northern Ireland Prison Service and can produce up to 70,000 native UK and Irish trees every year, meaning enough stock and range to satisfy both large orders and individual household buyers.
It is operated by Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust, an organisation with almost 25 years of experience delivering protected area management, partnerships and projects designed to support natural, built and cultural heritage. The Trust oversees the Antrim Coast & Glens, Binevenagh and Causeway Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty as well as the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage Site and the Rathlin Island Marine Special Area of Conservation. Its work includes protected landscape management, projects with local communities and support for heritage.
To find out more about volunteering with Magilligan Tree Nursery simply email aisling@ccght.org.