The Right Reverend Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross in the Church of Ireland has planted 29 trees as part of a 25th Anniversary marking his service as bishop to the United Diocese.

The tree planting has been inspired by the Communion Forest programme launched at the Lambeth Conference in 2022.  Since then, the diocese has planted 519 trees. 490 were planted in partnership with the Irish charity Reforest Nation - one for each young person confirmed in the Diocese since 2023.  For 190 of the trees planted in Ireland, a matching tree has been planted by the charity in Madagascar or in Kenya. 

Bishop Paul Colton, alongside former Lord Mayor Cllr Kieran McCarthy, plant a tree to his 25 years of service as bishop to the United Dioceses.
Photo: Church of Ireland / United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Bishop Colton said: 

‘I think my love of and fascination with trees goes back to childhood days of going to camp on Fota Island in Cork Harbour with the cubs and scouts - of enjoying the woodlands and hearing the sound of the wind, birds and wildlife.  It was a particular joy, therefore, to be invited by the Scouts to return to Fota to plant a tree at the Scout Centre there.  Each year of living at The See House in Cork, over the last 26 years now, we have planted at least one tree a year also.’ 

Find out more about the Communion Forest here.

Read more about the United Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross here