We were delighted to welcome John Kiberd from Stepping Stones Forests, along with a fantastic group of volunteers from Amazon, to MSCC as they worked alongside our Third Year students to plant our very own forest.
A Stepping Stones Forest is a small, urban, densely planted woodland made up of native Irish trees and shrubs. Due to the close planting, the trees grow rapidly, creating a rich natural habitat in a short period of time. Our new forest will provide an important oasis for Irish wildlife and will absorb more than 30 times the amount of carbon compared to grass lawns, helping to combat climate change. The forest is located at the front of our pitch, adjacent to Fortunestown Road.
Preparation for the planting began last spring, when the ground was covered with a layer of cardboard and heavily mulched. This work was led by the same group of students when they were in Second Year. The project is generously funded by Amazon, who also brought together a dedicated group of volunteers to support the planting day.
Our Third Year students impressed everyone with their energy, enthusiasm, and determination as they worked hard throughout the day alongside the volunteers. They were outstanding ambassadors for MSCC and demonstrated our ETB values of Respect, Community, and Care.
The event was captured by RTÉ Nationwide, with reporter Zainab Boladele on site. The segment will air during National Tree Week (Sunday 8th March to Sunday 15th March 2026), showcasing the success of the Stepping Stones project to audiences across the country.
A huge thank you to Mr Deasy, Mr O’Diolún, and Mr Wilhare for their support on the day and for all the behind-the-scenes work that helped make this wonderful opportunity possible for our students and school.