This year, the Tynwald National Park and Arboretum at St. Johns celebrates its 30th anniversary.
To mark the event, this Tynwald Day (Monday 6th July), the Forestry Division of DAFF will be celebrating with a series of display boards at selected points around the Park featuring photographs, old and new, along with information sheets and cuttings.
The displays will form stopping points in a guided walk to which anyone interested in the Park’s history and development are invited. The tour will start from the main entrance in the car park at 12pm and there will be an opportunity to take in the arboreal atmosphere of the ever-maturing landscape within the Park.
Conceived in 1979, the creation and inauguration of the Park formed part of the year-long series of commemorations and events to mark the Millennium of Tywnald.
The Park, which was officially opened on 26th June 1979 by the President of Iceland, Dr Kristjan Eldjarn, forms a beautiful backdrop to Tynwald Hill.
It covers an area of some 30 acres and is divided into three subsections. The first and most formal phase which is in the vicinity of the pond and lower slopes was designed in association with Ken Hume (then curator of Ness Botanical Gardens) using many less-common tree and shrub species whilst phases two and three, to the north and east, accommodate both native and naturalising tree plantings.
Chairman of the Forestry Division, Brenda Cannell MHK said, 'From the inspired vision of those who originally designed the Park, it is amazing to see how it has matured and developed over the past three decades into an attraction much-loved by Island residents.
'This is a wonderful asset to our Island and many local families and visitors have spent pleasant afternoons or summer evenings feeding the ducks, enjoying a picnic or just walking in the grounds appreciating the varied and fascinating collection of trees and plants'.
The 30th Anniversary celebrations will also form part of the Department’s Tynwald Day ‘Food Fayre’. This will be based at the Forestry Division’s grounds at Garey ny Cloie and will commence at 2.00 pm.
