A LIMERICK branch of an international medtech company has marked World Environment Day by revisiting its ‘tiny forest’, and bringing students from a local primary school along for the ride.
Medical devices company Stryker first planted its tiny forest in 2022, with support from local schools, to enhance biodiversity and provide a sanctuary for local wildlife at its Limerick facility.
Inspired by Japanese methodology, tiny forests have a growth rate of up to five times greater than traditional woodlands, with Stryker’s Limerick team also installing an apiary on the site to provide a home for bees.
Led by Joseph Hearney, Stryker’s Limerick team planted the tiny forest as part of their biodiversity aims.
Students from Limerick Educate Together National School were also treated to a visit to Stryker’s tiny forest to mark World Environment Day on June 5.
Albert Cummins, interim Site Lead at Stryker Limerick, said that the project came following suggestions from their local employees.
“A culture of sustainability motivates action. Our local initiatives are often the result of suggestions from our employees,” Mr Cummins said.
Mr Cummins continued that “whether it’s reducing water, planting tiny forests, or establishing pollinator habitats, we are always focused on what we can do better in our communities”.
“Stryker aims to be at the forefront of sustainability initiatives, supported by an ambitious global strategy. We are proud of what the teams in Limerick and Ireland have achieved and look forward to seeing their future plans,” he concluded.
Stryker have over 5,000 employees in Ireland across their sites in Limerick, Cork, and Belfast, and are aiming to become carbon neutral by 2030.
The company said its Irish manufacturing sites use 100 per cent renewable wind-generated energy, reducing annual carbon emissions by 20,000 tonnes, which equated to reducing almost 4,000 cars off the roads.
All Stryker’s Irish sites also use 100 per cent LED lighting, retrofitted with motion sensors.
