Northern Ireland full fibre broadband provider Fibrus has announced a £10,000 partnership with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) to help primary school pupils build practical environmental skills while growing hundreds of native trees for their schools and local communities.

The initiative, called Fibrus Green Connections, forms part of Fibrus' Environmental Action Plan and underlines its ongoing commitment to sustainability.

The collaboration sits alongside the company’s rollout of full fibre broadband across rural Northern Ireland.

Aligned with Fibrus' commitments under Project Gigabit NI — the UK government programme expanding gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach communities — the TCV activities support the wider social value aims built into Project Gigabit contracts, including job creation and workforce training, local apprenticeships and education, and environmental funding.

Working with TCV, the programme will engage five primary schools across the region over an 18–24 month period, delivering 25 interactive workshops to inspire future environmental champions.

Through hands-on sessions, pupils will learn about native species, biodiversity and protecting local ecosystems as they nurture seeds into young saplings. Each 'Forest in a Box' is expected to produce around 50 saplings, with the programme delivering approximately 300 native trees across participating schools and communities. The planting aims to enhance biodiversity and leave a lasting environmental legacy.

The partnership reflects a shared ambition to build stronger, more connected communities: while Fibrus links rural areas through full fibre broadband, TCV connects people with nature via practical conservation and environmental education, creating greener spaces for the future.

Hyperfast Networks, delivered by Fibrus, is delivering Project Gigabit in Northern Ireland. Awarded to Fibrus, the £34.6 million project is funded by the UK government through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and delivered by the Department for the Economy (DfE). It will bring full fibre access to over 9,000 of the most rural and hard-to-reach homes and businesses, helping to future-proof communities where connectivity has historically lagged behind urban areas, while creating wider social value.

Jenny Lennon, Managing Director of Hyperfast Networks, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with The Conservation Volunteers to launch Fibrus Green Connections. This project will give pupils the opportunity to engage with nature and create a lasting environmental legacy for their communities. We are excited to work with the schools involved and see the project grow over the coming months."