Anniversary Acers

Celebrating 20 years of growth

In June 2022 TOTEM turned 20 years in business, and we wanted to mark this important milestone in a meaningful way. Our team were brainstorming some creative and interesting ways to commemorate the occasion, and given our connection and love for the Waterford Greenway, the idea of planting trees came up as a suggestion! So, we have decided to plant three Norwegian Maple trees (Acer Platanoid Princeton Gold) at the Abbeyside bridge on the Waterford Greenway.

In June 2022 TOTEM will be 20 years in business, and we wanted to mark this important milestone in a meaningful way. Our team were brainstorming some creative and interesting ways to commemorate the occasion, and given our connection and love for the Waterford Greenway, the idea of planting trees came up as a suggestion! So, we have decided to plant three Norwegian Maple trees (Acer Platanoid Princeton Gold) at the Abbeyside bridge on the Waterford Greenway.

At TOTEM we’re all about growth, both for our clients and our locality. We wanted to give something back to the community, while also working on our goal to become a carbon neutral agency. These trees will stand the test of time, complimenting the pre-existing mural TOTEM commissioned on the bridge, while also having the added benefit of reducing our carbon footprint – win win.

The Maples were chosen for their stunning ornamental foliage and for their ability to stand aside from our more native Irish tree types. Particularly during the Autumn, when their leaves turn a rich golden-yellow colour and produce flowers that are followed by winged helicopter seeds. They’re sure to add an extra dimension of charm to this already scenic area.

Eoin Dullea, Horticulturist, Waterford City and County Council said, “It was great to be involved in this project with a local company.”

“If all businesses made a small change in their environmental habits, it would create the momentum to effect real change…a change that will benefit generations to come.”

Adding nature to art

In 2019, TOTEM (in conjunction with a number of local and national sponsors and supporters) commissioned a mural for the Abbeyside bridge on the Waterford Greenway. This was an area on the Greenway that was overgrown, rundown and really in need of some TLC. The mural “Birds in Flight”, depicting the natural Flora and Fauna of the Greenway, was beautifully hand painted by Waterford Walls artist Curtis Hylton, helping transform the area.

The results really impressed locals and visitors alike, so for our 20th birthday we’ve decided to go a step further and give more to this spot by adding some natural beauty with the Maples, to compliment the aesthetic beauty and eye-catching nature of the mural.

Calming and carbon benefits

At TOTEM we care about our carbon footprint, and we’re working to bring it to zero. Thankfully due to the nature of the work we do, our footprint is very low, so planting these large Maples helps us significantly towards our aim of being carbon neutral.

Amazingly, these trees will generate enough oxygen every year for a family of 6 people! And they could potentially provide up to ten generations of that family with oxygen, as under the right conditions, Norwegian Maples can live for up to 250 years!

As well as environmental benefits, trees also provide health and wellbeing benefits. These are almost imperceptible, but immensely profound for local communities and societies. They “translate into long-term changes in the incidence of depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer” according to research findings from Professor Peter James from Harvard University. Some studies in the U.S. and other countries have found that planting trees in urban or semi urban areas helps to not only reduce rates of depression, but also reduce crime rates too. Now if that’s not incentive to go for a walk in your local woods, nothing is!

Indeed, walking in areas with trees and nature has been prescribed in Japan for decades (referred to as “forest-bathing”) in order to reduce stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues (In Japan, native Acers are called “kito”, meaning “calm”, “rest” or “at peace”).

Planting for the future

Waterford Greenway has been voted Ireland’s number one tourist attraction by the Irish Independent readers in January 2022, and we’re delighted to add more natural beauty to this already inspiring trail along the old railway line from Dungarvan to Waterford city.

At TOTEM we love to help our clients and watch their brands grow. So we can’t wait to see these impressive trees grow and flourish, adding to the Waterford Greenway’s beauty, while providing numerous benefits from cutting carbon, to adding a sense of serenity to our locality. So whether you live locally or you’re just visiting, we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.