CRIEFF TREE PLANTING COINCIDES WITH COP26
Members of several Crieff community groups joined forces to ensure key environmental messages took root at the weekend.
Friends of Old St Michael’s hosted a treeplanting ceremony on Saturday in the historic site’s Church Street grounds.
A maple and a rowan were the latest additions to the former burial ground on a day which saw the likes of Crieff Community Trust, Friends of MacRosty Park, Crieff Community Garden and Crieff in Leaf represented, as well as Remake Scotland, Climate Action Strathearn and some of the town’s elected members.
The trees were planted to highlight the importance of public green spaces and to show support for efforts designed to promote awareness of the global climate emergency.
The ceremony was held shortly before the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, known as COP26, got under way on Monday this week.
Climate Action Strathearn’s Alan Caldwell, who lives in Comrie, said: “With COP26 being held in Glasgow the sheer scale and impact of the climate and nature emergencies are everywhere just now on our screens, social media and newspapers.
“While it is so important that we all get to grips with the science and need for urgent action, it is equally important that we meet and talk locally to share the load.
“Climate Action Strathearn members were delighted to take part in this great event and invite anyone wanting to know more, talk to others or organise local actions to connect with us through our Facebook page.”
Craig Finlay, of Friends of Old St Michael’s, said: “Planting the trees gave us an opportunity to recognise the dedication of the volunteers who keep Crieff’s green spaces looking good, in partnership with the local authority.
“We’d like to thank those who came along and, hopefully, more tree planting can be carried out to aid the climate action efforts.”
Crieff’s Chris McIntosh is one of the region’s deputy lord-lieutenants and delivered a speech on the day.
He told the Herald: “Closely related to this great local initiative, we are also looking for schools to participate in the Queen’s Green Canopy project – which runs until the end of the new year to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
“Free trees are available from RTS with a lovely oak plaque – and we would encourage schools to approach the Lieutenancy via our website or Facebook
to seek further details.”