urban space urban action
Deirdre A Power
First Urban Forestry Project
southill house & baggot estate
1991-93
The first urban forestry training project began in Southill House in Limerick in 1991. Through the Paul Partnership, The Forestry Service and the Forester Jim Gibbs the course encouraged jobseekers from the current 'regenerated' areas of Limerick to engage in forestry as a career. Its success can be seen in the development of the Baggott Estate where over 30,000 trees were planted by 20 participants on the project. Urban Tree Project has recently visited Baggot Estate with Jim Gibbs to research the project. He has kindly provided Urban Tree Project with his archive of the first Urban Forest in Ireland.
Concept
The underling concept of the Urban Forest was to:
Develop Forest Interest
Encourage Work Participation
Encourage Basic Understanding of the importance of Foresrty in to-days world
Prepare participants for future role in their “New Field”
Current
The intention now is to revisit this project to encourage a renewal and awareness of open space through the continuation of tree planting. In collaboration with Weston Alliance and Pamela Keogh, Youth Worker with West End Youth Centre, the aim is to introduce the new generation to this established project and to encourage participation in the ongoing regeneration of the area.
