User:RARE Truths/sandbox

<!-- EDIT BELOW THIS LINE “The Invisible Tree” stands in County Down at the entry to one of Ireland’s greatest ecological treasures, Rostrevor Oakwood - a rare example of extensive woodland of this native species.

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/rostrevor-oakwood-nature-reserve

The old sessile oak is known as “The Invisible Tree” because it failed to appear in a 2012 tree survey and report supporting the construction of a substantial development consisting of 41 apartments and underground car park within metres of its root and branch system on Shore Road, Rostrevor.

When the development received planning approval in 2018, the anomaly of the oak tree’s ‘disappearance’ led to a massive campaign by the local community group Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment (RARE) giving it international visibility by celebrating its existence through local and international voices, music and the arts. The campaign was supported by world-renowned artists including Peggy Seeger and Clannad’s Moya Brennan.

The fame of the tree grew in story, verse, paintings and cartoons and, in early 2019, its story was featured in the song and video “The Old Oak Wood Turns Green Again”, a work inspired by and in celebration of the growing number of campaigners working to protect the environment that sustains all life on the planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYpwCDYW0Gc

On June 25th 2019, the song was performed at an event which manifested much of that growing energy for the protection of nature - the launch of the Environmental Justice Network Ireland. www.ejni.net,

In September 2019, “The Invisible Tree” was shortlisted for the Woodland Trust Tree of the Year Award.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/09/09/news/six-contenders-shortlisted-for-the-woodland-trust-s-tree-of-the-year-competition-1706758/

Following this shortlisting, focus sharpened on the story when professional photographers began to arrive in Rostrevor to capture an image of “The Invisible Tree” - a mission which highlighted the bizarre nature of the denial of the tree’s existence in the tree survey and report.

By the end of September 2019, visitors had arrived in Rostrevor to verify the existence of “The Invisible Tree” in sixteen different languages and a few weeks later, in October 2019, “The Invisible Tree” became even more visible when it was named Northern Ireland’s Woodland Trust Tree of the Year.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mighty-invisible-oak-crowned-northern-ireland-finest-thanks-to-950-votes-38621739.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-50154945

The Tree of the Year Award widened the story to draw attention not only to the “disappearance” of the Rostrevor Oak but also to the uncomfortable truth of the professional practice by consultants to deny the existence of those parts of nature which may stand in the way of the ambitions of those “developers” who hire them.

This point was addressed in the letter/poem, “Rhyme for Justice?”.

“When profit takes priority and nature’s in the way Consultants swear it isn’t there, but there’s a price to pay, For wilful blindness hiding in a world of countless lies Forgets to count on people not afraid to use their eyes.”

The tree was also being seen as a symbol for the silent people who have the power to address anomalies and injustice by raising their voices together. In 2020, 25 campaigners aged from 9 to 92 helped to broaden the story in the form of a letter/poem addressed to the Lord Chief Justice and the Minister for Justice of Northern Ireland.

Their performance of the work was filmed in and around Rostrevor and outside The Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast for the video, “Rhyme for Justice?”, published on the website of Environmental Justice Network Ireland.

https://ejni.net/films/

The film was also featured in the 2021 NVTV Inheritance International Film Festival.

https://johnlockeactor.com/dir/2021/03/24/preview-1-of-films-from-inheritance-international-environmental-film-festival/

The film script/letter was also hand-written using ink made from oak galls which had been collected from “The Invisible Tree” - a further verification of the old oak’s existence, aided by an ancient method of ink making which dates back to the creation of famous works like the Magna Carta and The Book of Kells.

Due to the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, an official presentation of the handwritten scrolls to the Lord Chief Justice and The Minister for Justice has yet to take place.

In early 2021, a fresh application for the proposed development on the edge of Rostrevor Oak Wood appeared.

It features a new tree report and survey, prepared by a new consultant and although “The Invisible Tree” is marked this time, another old oak tree, also growing adjacent to and overhanging the site boundary wall, has been omitted from the new survey.

It would seem that both literally and metaphorically, the story of “The Invisible Tree” is set to continue. -->

The Invisible Tree of Rostrevor Oak Wood.
Hidden No More: The ‘Invisible Tree’ awarded Northern Ireland’s Tree of the Year 2019

“The Invisible Tree” stands in County Down at the entry to one of Ireland’s greatest ecological treasures, Rostrevor Oakwood - a rare example of extensive woodland of this native species.

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/rostrevor-oakwood-nature-reserve

The old sessile oak is known as “The Invisible Tree” because it failed to appear in a 2012 tree survey and report supporting the construction of a substantial development consisting of 41 apartments and underground car park within metres of its root and branch system on Shore Road, Rostrevor.

When the development received planning approval in 2018, the anomaly of the oak tree’s ‘disappearance’ led to a massive campaign by the local community group Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment (RARE) giving it international visibility by celebrating its existence through local and international voices, music and the arts. The campaign was supported by world-renowned artists including Peggy Seeger and Clannad’s Moya Brennan.

The fame of the tree grew in story, verse, paintings and cartoons and, in early 2019, its story was featured in the song and video “The Old Oak Wood Turns Green Again”, a work inspired by and in celebration of the growing number of campaigners working to protect the environment that sustains all life on the planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYpwCDYW0Gc

On June 25th 2019, the song was performed at an event which manifested much of that growing energy for the protection of nature - the launch of the Environmental Justice Network Ireland. www.ejni.net,

In September 2019, “The Invisible Tree” was shortlisted for the Woodland Trust Tree of the Year Award.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/09/09/news/six-contenders-shortlisted-for-the-woodland-trust-s-tree-of-the-year-competition-1706758/

Following this shortlisting, focus sharpened on the story when professional photographers began to arrive in Rostrevor to capture an image of “The Invisible Tree” - a mission which highlighted the bizarre nature of the denial of the tree’s existence in the tree survey and report.

By the end of September 2019, visitors had arrived in Rostrevor to verify the existence of “The Invisible Tree” in sixteen different languages and a few weeks later, in October 2019, “The Invisible Tree” became even more visible when it was named Northern Ireland’s Woodland Trust Tree of the Year.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mighty-invisible-oak-crowned-northern-ireland-finest-thanks-to-950-votes-38621739.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-50154945

The Tree of the Year Award widened the story to draw attention not only to the “disappearance” of the Rostrevor Oak but also to the uncomfortable truth of the professional practice by consultants to deny the existence of those parts of nature which may stand in the way of the ambitions of those “developers” who hire them.

This point was addressed in the letter/poem, “Rhyme for Justice?”.

“When profit takes priority and nature’s in the way Consultants swear it isn’t there, but there’s a price to pay, For wilful blindness hiding in a world of countless lies Forgets to count on people not afraid to use their eyes.”

The tree was also being seen as a symbol for the silent people who have the power to address anomalies and injustice by raising their voices together. In 2020, 25 campaigners aged from 9 to 92 helped to broaden the story in the form of a letter/poem addressed to the Lord Chief Justice and the Minister for Justice of Northern Ireland.

Their performance of the work was filmed in and around Rostrevor and outside The Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast for the video, “Rhyme for Justice?”, published on the website of Environmental Justice Network Ireland.

https://ejni.net/films/

The film was also featured in the 2021 NVTV Inheritance International Film Festival.

https://johnlockeactor.com/dir/2021/03/24/preview-1-of-films-from-inheritance-international-environmental-film-festival/

The film script/letter was also hand-written using ink made from oak galls which had been collected from “The Invisible Tree” - a further verification of the old oak’s existence, aided by an ancient method of ink making which dates back to the creation of famous works like the Magna Carta and The Book of Kells.

Due to the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, an official presentation of the handwritten scrolls to the Lord Chief Justice and The Minister for Justice has yet to take place.

The Woodland Trust’s award of Northern Ireland’s Tree of the Year 2019 will ensure that the ‘Invisible Tree’ will achieve even greater visibility, highlighting its importance to Northern Ireland’s ecology and heritage.

Signage towards the tree now ensures that members of the public are pointed not only to the tree but also towards the dark arts of tree consultants who are prepared to deny the existence of trees or any a part of nature that may stand in the way of the financial ambitions of those who hire them.

Additional Information and quotes following Tree of the Year Award 2019. Ian McCurley, director of the Woodland Trust said: "Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment group (RARE)... worked tirelessly to put their tree, and indeed trees in general, firmly on the map"

Colum Sands, Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment said: “We are deeply grateful to all who have supported this excellent Woodland Trust initiative and the huge response reflects a growing public awareness of the need to care for and protecti our trees, air, soil, water and wildlife. This award is both a cause for celebration and a tribute to the forest of voices and votes demanding that our political and legal systems protect what we value and cherish the most.”

ROSTREVOR’S OAKWOOD The native sessile oak, the national tree of Ireland, was once widespread throughout the country, but centuries of harvesting have rendered it relatively rare. Pockets of oak woodland can still be found across Northern Ireland, but Rostrevor’s Oakwood Nature Reserve is a rare oasis and the only one of its kind in the Mournes. The 41 acres of mature woodland is a protected nature reserve and habitat to hundreds of species including the pine marten and red squirrel which have seen a welcome return to the area. The majestic woodland is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and overlooks Carlingford Lough. It was famously described by C.S. Lewis as his idea of Narnia and is part of the Newry Mourne and Down five year tourism strategy which aims to make the region into “one of the premier year round destinations in Ireland” – Cllr Gilliam Fitzpatrick. ROSTREVOR ACTION RESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT (RARE) RARE is a campaigning group of all ages and backgrounds, interested in promoting and learning about the best ways to protect and care for the local environment and, indeed, all life on this planet. It takes inspiration from the worldwide work of Friends of the Earth, from local environmental groups like Love your Lough. The group’s members includes veteran environmentalists from the 1970’s campaign which saved Rostrevor’s “The Meadow” from a proposed housing development plan. The campaign led to the creation of Kilbroney Park which has seen a 460% rise in visitor numbers over the last 5 years, welcoming more than half a million people per year.

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