Douglas Borough Council has extended collection points and times for its ‘Great Tree Giveaway’ of 2000 mountain ash tree whips.

The whips are now available for collection from Ballaughton Nursery Monday to Friday between 9am and 1pm and 2pm to 5pm until the end of February. Additionally, with effect from Saturday January 18, the whips can be collected on Saturdays only from the Henry Bloom Noble Library in Duke Street between 9am and 4pm, where the roots will be pre-wrapped in biodegradable bags and the whips grouped in a clean container for members of the public to collect.

The initiative by the Council’s Park Service is in overall support of climate change reversal and, more specifically, the Council’s pollinator plan and the Isle of Man Government’s climate change action plan.

Measuring up to one metre high the whips are available to Borough of Douglas residents and community groups only. (Proof of residency required).

Tree whip numbers are restricted to one whip per residence for small gardens, two per residence for medium-sized gardens and three per residence for large gardens. Community groups will be allowed 100 whips per group but must provide evidence of permission to plant the whips on private land.

For more information call the Parks Service on 696330 or email the team,