Plans to transform a number of quarries across Northern Ireland as part of MOREwoods, a new woodland creation initiative, have been announced by the Woodland Trust.

Craigantlet quarry near Newtownards, County Down, which is owned by Wolverhampton-based quarrying company Tarmac, has become the first to benefit from the scheme, with more than 5,000 native species of tree planted across a 26-acre (10.5-hectare) piece of land. It is hoped that more companies will sign up for the MOREwoods scheme, which is open to landowners with a minimum planting area of 2.5 acres (1 hectare) and has already proved successful in England and Wales.

Woodland Trust and Forest Service officials will ensure that land is suitable for the planting scheme, which is funded through the Forest Service's Woodland Grant Scheme and will have little or no cost to the land owner. Brian Poots of the Woodland Trust said: "A similar initiative has already been a success in various pilot regions in England and Wales. Working with Forest Service, we're now delighted to make it easy for Northern Ireland landowners to experience the beauty and benefits of native woodland.

"More than 5,000 thousand young trees have been planted here, and these trees will link the pockets of existing woodland around the quarry, providing an extended haunt for a variety of wildlife."