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Planting for the Planet
Ag Cur ar Mhaithe leis an Phláinéad
National Tree Day 2026
Planting for the Planet
Planting Is Only the Beginning
Planting for the Planet isn't simply about planting as many trees as possible.
It's about planting the right tree in the right place and giving it the care it needs to grow and thrive.
It's also about appreciating and protecting the trees that are already growing around us. A mature tree has taken many years, sometimes hundreds of years, to become what it is, so looking after our existing trees is every bit as important as planting new ones. When we plant thoughtfully, care for young trees and protect established ones, we are investing in the future.
This National Tree Day, we're asking schools across Ireland to discover and appreciate the trees around them.
What trees can you find near your school, in your local park, along your streets or in your neighbourhood?
What lives in them? What do they give us? And where could another tree make a difference?
Plant. Protect. Care.
🌍 CLIMATE
Trees capture and store carbon as they grow.
🐝 WILDLIFE
Trees provide food, shelter and habitats for wildlife.
🌧️ LAND & WATER
Trees can help protect soil, intercept rainfall and reduce surface water run-off.
Planting for the Planet
Carbon Capture
Like last year, a Scots Pine sapling is being given free to all participating primary schools, so that they can plant and care for their own tree as part of National Tree Day.
It is also a very fitting tree for this year’s theme, Planting for the Planet.
Scots Pine is an evergreen tree, which means it keeps its green needles all year round.
As trees grow, they take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon in their wood, branches and roots. Over about 35 years of growth, fast-growing evergreen trees can capture at least three times more carbon from the atmosphere than slower-growing deciduous trees.
So, the small Scots Pine planted in your school this National Tree Day can keep growing, storing carbon and helping our planet for many years to come.
Exceptional Drought Tolerance
Scots Pine is a tough and hardy tree. It is known as a pioneer species because it can grow in places where conditions can be difficult for other trees. It can cope with harsh frosts, dry weather and poor soils, allowing it to survive in many different environments.
Its needle-like leaves have a thick, waxy coating that helps to reduce water loss during dry spells. Scots Pine can also develop a deep taproot, which can reach down through sandy or gravelly soils to find water hidden deep underground.
These special features make Scots Pine particularly interesting as our climate changes and Ireland experiences periods of hotter, drier summer weather. Trees that are able to cope well with drought could become increasingly important when thinking about the forests and woodlands we plant for the future.
After the widespread dry conditions experienced in Ireland this summer, it is a timely reminder of just how important strong and resilient trees like Scots Pine can be.
Wet Tolerance
Scots Pine grows into a strong and robust tree and can also tolerate wet conditions. It can grow in many different types of soil, although it may not reach its full height in very damp, acidic soils.
In fact, Scots Pine is one of the most widespread trees in the world! Its natural range stretches from beyond the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia all the way to southern Spain, and from western Scotland across to the Okhotsk Sea in eastern Siberia.
Within this enormous area, Scots Pine can grow at many different heights — from sea level right up to around 2,400 metres above sea level.
In short, Scots Pine is a remarkably adaptable tree. It is easy to grow and can establish successfully in a wide variety of soils and locations, including some where growing conditions can be very difficult.
Timber
Did you know that timber from the Scots Pine is commonly known as Red Deal?
Red Deal is a strong, versatile softwood that has been used for generations in building and woodworking. It is easy to work with and can be used in many different ways.
You might find Scots Pine timber being used for:
Construction and building
Flooring and decking
Doors and windows
Skirting boards and other interior woodwork
Stairs and joinery
Furniture
Decorative panelling
Fencing, gates and posts
Transmission poles
Pallets and wooden packaging
Wood-based panels
Paper and wood pulp
Even different grades of timber can be put to good use, making Scots Pine an incredibly versatile tree.
From providing a home and food for wildlife while it is growing, to providing a useful renewable building material when it is harvested, Scots Pine shows us just how valuable trees can be.
A Tree for Today — and Tomorrow
A tree planted today can continue growing for generations.
It can provide shade and shelter, support birds, insects and other wildlife, produce thousands of seeds, and become a lasting part of the landscape for decades to come.
That's one of the wonderful things about planting a tree: we may plant it today, but many of its greatest benefits are for the future.
Two Trees Are Better Than One
Trees are all around us — in gardens, parks, streets, hedgerows, forests and woodlands.
Each tree has an important role to play, and together their benefits can grow.
That's why our message for National Tree Day 2026 is simple:
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Two Trees Are Better Than One
Every tree makes a difference — and together, their benefits can grow.
Already Have a Scots Pine?
Your school may already have a Scots Pine growing from National Tree Day 2025. So, if you receive another Scots Pine sapling for National Tree Day 2026, what should you do with it?
Plant it beside last year's tree
You can plant your new Scots Pine about 2 metres away from the tree you planted last year. As the two trees grow, they can provide shelter for each other.
The trees will naturally grow outwards towards the light, while the branches between them may become smaller or eventually die back as the trees shade each other. This natural process is called self-pruning.
Growing together can also encourage the trees to grow upwards as they reach for the light — and over time, your two little saplings can become their own small group of Scots Pines.
Plant it on its own
You can also choose a completely different spot and let your new Scots Pine grow on its own.
A Scots Pine planted in an open space can develop into a beautiful specimen tree. With plenty of light reaching it from all sides and less competition for its roots, it has room to grow both upwards and outwards, developing branches around the tree.
It can also develop a strong root system, helping to anchor it firmly in the ground, and an open-grown Scots Pine can develop a broad crown and produce plenty of cones. In its maturity, it has a distinctive russet-coloured bark.
Whichever option you choose, you’ll be giving your new Scots Pine the chance to grow and become part of your school’s landscape for many years to come!
Sammy's Two Tree Challenge
Find two trees in your school or local area and take a closer look. They don't have to be the same — different trees make it even more interesting!
What do you think each tree is doing for the planet?
Can you find seeds, nuts, berries or cones?
Which tree is taller?
Can you spot any birds, insects or other wildlife?
How are their trunks and bark different?
Are their leaves or needles the same?
Your Tree Day Scots Pine
This year's National Tree Day sapling is the Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris),
one of Ireland's native trees.
When your school receives a Scots Pine, you're receiving much more than a sapling for National Tree Day. You're planting something that can be cared
for, observed and enjoyed for many years to come — while providing a valuable home and food source for wildlife as it grows.
Whether your Tree Day activities take place at your school, in a local green space or within your wider community, there are trees waiting to be discovered.