BY MARK McKELVEY

m.mckelvey@ulsterherald.com

WOODVIEW Landscapes outside Omagh has been selected as the first outlet in the North to distribute the Wollemi Pine - a tree that for millions of years was believed to have been extinct until its discovery in 1994 in Australia.

The Wollemi pine is a survivor from the Age of Dinosaurs - seen as a miraculous time traveller and one of the greatest botanical discoveries of the twentieth century.

It has been stated that, "The discovery of the Wollemi Pine is the equivalent of finding a small dinosaur still alive on earth."

It was thought to be extinct with only fossil records remaining - that was until 1994 when less than a 100 were discovered in a deep canyon in the vast expanse of the Wollemi National Park, Australia.

Now it is the focus of a unique global conservation effort to give everyone the chance to grow their own tree, protecting the future of this potentially rare and endangered plant.

Events Manager for Woodview, Trevor Shortt conveyed how they are delighted to be selected to distribute this rare tree.

"I saw these trees at a show in Birmingham in September where we then applied to be considered to sell these rare trees, with only a select few chosen. We feel very privileged to have been chosen as the first garden centre in Northern Ireland to actually sell the Wollemi Pine - normally everything goes to Belfast."

"The Britain and Ireland launch being is being held on May 26 at the Chelsea Flower Show, so people can order their trees in advance and take delivery of them after the launch."

Every Wollemi Pine sold returns a royalty to conserve the Wollemi and other threatened Australian plant species. This ensures that anyone who buys a Wollemi Pine will be playing a part in the global conservation effort.

Although the Wollemi Pine is one of the most threatened plants on earth, it is highly versatile and easy to grow. It tolerates heat, cold, full sun and shade, as well as different types of soil. It is seen as the ultimate survivor, having outlived both dinosaurs and many of its contemporaries in the plant kingdom.

To acknowledge having such a botanic wonder, Woodview have decided to constructed a gorge to represent the habitat the tree was discovered in Australia, along with many exotic animals creating a "I'm a celebrity get me outta there" theme for an environmentally educational, family fun day out.

Trevor explained, "I think it would be criminal to take something that was extinct and stick it out on a shelf. So we have decided to make this into a real discovery so we have got snakes, spiders, crocodiles and emus coming as well as getting two fourth year drama students from Drumragh College who are acting as Ant and Dec. There are three bushtucker trials; eating, retrieving stars and actually getting in something that may involve the introduction of animals.

He continued, "The whole idea is that there will be a desert setting with a stage so the performers can interact with the audience, before being taken on a tour through the outback by the Crocodile Dundee type guides, where visitors can handle the animals and do the tasks if they wish."

The show finishes off with a video presentation of the findings of the Wollemi Pine in Australia, providing education on the need for conservation, before moving through the mist to see the actual trees as the visitors leave.

(See advert for details.)