Acorn project in Freshford is saving the seeds to create new nurseries

There was a great sense of community spirit in Freshford on Sunday when 22 seedsavers from Freshford Tidy towns took part in the Acorn Project in Brownswood.

The four themes of the Acorn Project are connection, community, collaboration and celebration and all four were there in abundance as participants gathered hazelnuts from a medieval hazel coppice for the five new tree nursery beds that Freshford Tidy Town will foster later in the winter. Participants also created birdfeeders and played some games and shared rosehip and apple tea.

This autumn the Acorn Project is running seedsaving workshops with communities along the River Nore to save seed from native signature trees around Kilkenny. The project is supported by St Canice's Credit Union as part of the Community Connect Fund an also by the Department of Agriculture Woodland Support Project. The aim is to raise awareness about the value and importance of creating local provenance seed stands within our river catchments and the power of collaboration in restoring our native forests.