A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy has replaced a Coronation Park pine tree felled during Storm Ciarán – with its offspring he grew after collecting a cone.
Five years ago while walking in the park with his grandmother Dilys Maletroit, Thomas picked up the cone which he found beneath the 90-year-old pine and took it home.
He left it outside in his garden and it eventually germinated and grew into a sapling.
After hearing that half of the park’s trees were either lost or damaged in the storm, Thomas and Dilys came up with a plan to take the 2ft-tall pine sapling back to its roots.
And over the weekend, Thomas planted the little tree next to where its parent once stood.
“It is wonderful to see the sapling being planted back in the park. I was shocked to see the number of trees down,” said Thomas.
“It was a very memorable experience as the park was special to me and my Nana. I will never forget this moment.
“I hope it encourages others around the Island to contribute to any other tree-planting efforts.”
Dilys, who contacted the government’s Parks and Gardens team in November to arrange the sapling’s replanting, added: “I am thankful that my grandson wanted to take the pine cone home and a seed germinated from it so that he could nurture it and see it grow from the very beginning.
“The parent tree was one of the original trees planted in the park so this plant will provide continuity with the history of the park. I am very proud of my grandson to be able to contribute in a small way to support the replanting of the trees in Coronation Park and it was great to have my family with me to be a part of this special occasion.
“I am hoping that this will be a meaningful start to restoring the trees in the park and that children can be encouraged to be like Thomas and take part in growing more trees for the future of the park.”
Bruce Labey, senior operations manager for Parks and Gardens, said: “I was delighted with the offer as we have lost so many trees in Coronation Park…I can’t think of a better way to start the renewal process.
“Coronation Park suffered some serious losses of very large trees, many planted after the Great Storm of ‘87 but some from the original 1935 plantings as well – big trees.”
He added: “The pine cone that the seed came from was found under that tree and so we are particularly delighted to be able to be able to continue the family line courtesy of a wonderful bit of synchronicity.”
