Community meeting planned over future of Kinsale Community Orchard
Nature lovers are mobilising in Kinsale.
A meeting about the future of Kinsale Community Orchard will take place on Tuesday, September 22nd, at 5.30pm at the orchard.
Campaigners fear the much-loved community orchard could disappear as part of plans for a major new development in the area, including a proposed 169-home estate and two astro-turf pitches. The orchard was created around 15 years ago, when teenagers from Kinsale Community School and other local groups planted fruit trees, bushes and native trees for the community.
Organisers are inviting people from the local community to come along and share their views, with the campaign centred on protecting the orchard and the established natural environment around it.
The group says mature trees and the ecosystem that has developed around them cannot simply be recreated somewhere else overnight. It also believes that decisions about development should look beyond what can be built and consider what kind of community Kinsale wants to leave for future generations.
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The campaign is using the message “Our Orchard, Our Community, Our Choice” as it encourages local people to get involved.
A petition calling for the community orchard to be protected is available online, while a campaign video has also been released explaining the group’s concerns.
People who can help by printing posters for display in local businesses are also being asked to get involved. Donations are being sought to cover campaign expenses, with organisers stressing that the money will not be used to pay volunteers.
The meeting takes place at Kinsale Community Orchard on Tuesday, September 22, at 5.30pm.
- The petition can be signed here: Save the Community Orchard Kinsale petition
- The campaign video is available here: Watch the campaign video
- Donations can be made here: Support the campaign
