300 students from 11 schools attended the annual Green-Schools Global Goals Conference in the Radisson Hotel, Little Island, Cork on Tuesday November 12. At the conference students learnt about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and how they are helping to achieve these Global Goals through their work on the Green-Schools programme. The work they do in their schools and communities greatly contributes to achieving the main aims of the goals which are to end poverty, fight inequality and address the urgency of climate change and create a better world by 2030. 

LEAF Ireland was delighted to be invited to be part of this inspiring event, our focus was on Goal 15 Life on Land. The aim of Goal 15 is to ‘Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss’.

During the Life on Land session, students attending the conference planted 300 acorns (30 acorns per school) and went away with their own Little Woodland to plant on next year.

It is hoped that students will take care of these Little Woodlands while the acorns germinate, making sure they don’t dry out and hopefully next year the young saplings will be planted in their school grounds or in their community.

Photos: Cathal Noonan