Good News Corner

Family Plant 400 Trees in the Burren in Conservation Effort

A family in the Burren, Co. Clare, have planted 400 trees in 3 days as part of an effort to conserve a native species of pine once believed extinct. After scientists at Trinity College Dublin discovered that 'Pinus sylvestris' had continued to grow in a remote corner of the Burren, they harvested seeds and grew them in a nursery near the site. 3 years later, 100 saplings of the rare pine were ready to be planted. Bernard Dunford (co-founder of The Burrenbeo Trust) and his 3 teenage children put themselves to the task last week, planting the pines an additional 300 saplings of a companion species in the area. 

60% Drop in Over 60s Being Hospitalised in Israel 3 Weeks After They Received First Vaccine Dose

Israel has seen a significant drop in hospital admissions since a number of its elderly citizens received their initial dose of the Pfizer vaccine this month. The decrease in infections comes as a surprise to many, due to the fact that vaccine-effectiveness was not expected to be seen until a month after the 2nd dose had been administered. 

Aldi Ireland Vow to Plant 1 Million Trees by 2025

In more good news for our Irish landscapes, Aldi has partnered with the Department of Agriculture's Woodland Development Fund (WEF) in an effort to plant 1 million trees by 2025. Aldi will continue to work with Green Belt forestry consultancy to support the development of new native forests across the country. The retailer joined the scheme in 2020, and has planted over 100,000 trees so far in the counties of Mayo, Limerick, Galway, Kerry and Wicklow. 

Generous Customer Leaves $1,400 Tip for Café Staff

The staff members of a small cafe in Colorado, US, were shocked last Thursday to find that a customer had left a large tip with his $20.04 breakfast bill. The tipper included the message 'COVID sucks!' along with instructions to split his $1,400 added sum amongst the 7 staff members on shift. Fair play!