Leading convenience retail brands, Centra and SuperValu part of Musgrave NI, have planted another 5,000 native trees across Northern Ireland this year, bringing them a step closer to their goal of planting 50,000 trees by 2032.
In partnership with Trees on the Land, a charity and not-for-profit project from the Green Economy Foundation, the initiative launched last year and saw 5,000 trees planted across 13 locations in Northern Ireland, while this year a further 5,000 have been planted in 17 locations.
Groups to have received trees this year include Enniskillen Integrated Primary School, Armoy Community Association, Colin Wildlife Group in Dunmurry, Strathroy Community Garden & Shed in Omagh, and St Colum’s Primary School in Portstewart.
Colleagues from Centra and SuperValu stores across Northern Ireland supported the initiative by pulling on their wellies and visiting many of the tree planting locations.
Desi Derby, Director of Marketing for Centra and SuperValu, said:
“This project is extremely important to us all at Centra and SuperValu. We are committed to doing all we can to help the environment and become a more sustainable business and tree planting is just one of the many ways we are giving back to the environment.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Trees on the Land once again to plant a further 5,000 trees, helping to absorb more carbon dioxide, improve air quality and enhance biodiversity across Northern Ireland.”
Imogen Rabone, Project Co-ordinator and Founder of Trees on the Land, added: “This is now our second year working with Musgrave NI and we are delighted to have them on board with such an amazing project. We had an extremely successful year last year planting 5,000 trees across 13 locations, and have distributed another 5,000 trees this year across 17 locations.
“Our vision at Trees on the Land is to establish tree cover and woodland in rural and urban areas that will grow for many years and provide valuable resources for future generations. It is thanks to partnerships like this with Musgrave NI that makes this possible.”
A commitment to planting 50,000 trees is one in a list of steps being taken by Centra and SuperValu to make their stores and communities more sustainable.
“We all have a responsibility to care for the environment and we believe small changes can make a big impact. Together with our customers, we can build a more sustainable future by helping to look after the planet we all share,” Desi said.