Over 8,000 trees planted as part of Clondalkin community initiative to support local biodiversity

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More than 200 Microsoft Ireland volunteers came together to support the Clondalkin community in an effort to create more natural green spaces by way of a local tree planting initiative, led by One Tree Planted, an environmental non-profit tree  planting charity.

Over the course of three weeks, the team of volunteers from Microsoft Ireland supported by local charity One Tree Planted and the company’s planting partner, Trees on the Land, planted over 8,000 trees from 17 different species, helping to restore 2.04 acres in Peamount Hospital and  surrounding areas.

At each of the sites, landscape infrastructure was improved to benefit the communities involved. At Peamount Healthcare, parkland trees and small wooded areas were added to the otherwise bare paddocks and new areas of native woodland and hedgerows were planted into other areas around the Peamount campus. This helped to increase canopy cover and create a more peaceful and wildlife friendly environment for patients and healthcare workers. The planting of new orchards at the Peamount Healthcare campus will in  time provide a source of fruit for patients.

Native tree cover in the form of hedgerows was also planted close to roads and in a network around and through communities, helping to reduce air pollution coming  mainly from road traffic.

Commenting on the project, Eoin Doherty, Microsoft’s Cloud Operations + Innovation EMEA Regional Leader said: “At Microsoft, we want to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more. This includes empowering the local communities in which we operate. That’s why we were delighted to join forces with the Clondalkin community to support their tree planting initiative. By working together with Peamount Healthcare as well as schools, clubs and individuals in the area, we were able to plant 8,250 native trees in the local

community. A special thanks to our partner, One Tree Planted, and Trees on the Land who together are helping to advance sustainability initiatives and enhance  biodiversity.”

Tanya King, CEO, Peamount Healthcare said: “We very much appreciate the Microsoft Ireland team for all their support and efforts to bring this important tree planting initiative to life. By helping to create more natural green spaces, Peamount Healthcare service users, their families and the local community can come to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the  natural environment.”

Imogen Rabone, Founder and Co-ordinator, Trees on the Land, said she has thoroughly enjoyed working with One Tree Planted and Microsoft on this tree cover project for Clondalkin: “These 8,000 trees would not have been planted without the support given by the team of volunteers from Microsoft Ireland and community  leaders in west Dublin. We’d like to thank Microsoft Ireland and local tree planting charity, One Tree Planted, for all their help and support with the project over the last  few months.”

Microsoft Ireland has developed strong links with communities across west Dublin. The company supports the Let’s Get Digital programme offered by the South Dublin County Partnership (SDCP). Participants in Let’s Get Digital receive a structured, supportive learning experience that includes mentorship, outreach projects, and digital skill programmes such as StepIn2Tech which has been running for the  past two years.

Through its partnership with Maynooth University, Microsoft co-designed and is delivering the STEM Passport for Inclusion programme to secondary schools across the area. It was created to help break down barriers and increase the number of girls from underserved communities entering STEM related careers.