10:30 - 12:30 Seminar and visit to the Willow Farm
13:30 - 15:00 Visit to Brook Hall Arboretum

In the morning John Gilliland will give a seminar on sustainable development and the work at Rural General Ltd. There will be an opportunity for a Q&A session and a walk around the willow farm, looking at the breath of the project, from willow breeding, through to commercial growing, processing of the wood, the conversion technology into renewable heat.

This will be then followed by a guided tour of Brook Hall Grounds by David Gilliland, John's father and owner of the estate. Brook Hall was built as a villa c.1780 and the surrounding land was acquired to create a landscape park, which slopes down to the River Foyle.

The estate is home of one of the largest private arboreta, with over 900 varieties of trees and shrubs, including a few centenarian yew trees. The walled gardens built at the beginning of the 17th century are the earliest recorded part of the estate.

People are welcome to attend both events and bring their packed lunch with them. Those only attending the grounds tour do not have to bring their lunch but turn up at the turning circle outside Brook Hall. Their entrance gate will be the one with the two ship's anchors.

Those attending the morning seminar in the Centre should use the next new entrance along the Culmore Road at the bend.

Many thanks to Annesley Malley for organising the visit to the Arboretum and to the Gilliland family for their warm welcome to their estate

Fee (morning session): £5
Fee (afternoon session): £5
Combined fee:£10