Ireland imports two-and-a-half times the European average of tropical hardwood timber, according to a report in the current issue of Releafing Ireland magazine. The current fashion for wooden toys, wooden garden furniture, timber decking, wooden floors and kitchens all mean that we are surrounded by fragments of tropical rainforests, writes Caroline Murphy in her report.
Murphy makes a plea for the planting of hardwoods in Ireland - both as an attempt to meet some more of our own timber needs and to slow down the depletion of hardwood forests in African, Asian and South American countries. "In Africa alone, a minimum of 30 acres of tropical hardwoods are destroyed every day just to supply Ireland directly with sawn timber, and this figure does not reflect the indirect imports (coming into Ireland via other western countries)," she writes.
"If Ireland waits another 30 years to begin a serious hardwood planting programme (under the Government's strategic plan for forestry, conifers will remain the main objective until then), we will also wait 30 more years for the trees to mature."
HARDY individuals keen to spend some time out of doors and not afraid of getting dirt under their fingernails should consider joining one of Groundwork's summer conservation workcamps. The camps run throughout the summer in Killarney National Park, Co Kerry and for six weeks from July 14th in Glenveagh National Park, Co Donegal. The work done is informally known as "rhodo-bashing" and involves the clearing of rhododendrons from native oakwoods.
"Since 1981, hundreds of volunteers have come from over 30 different countries worldwide and from all over Ireland to participate in the Groundwork workcamps," says Rebecca Jeffrey from Groundwork. Cost €25.50 for one week (€38 for two weeks) which includes accommodation and food. Tel: 01-6768588 for more details. See also www.groundwork.ie
TREE trails of Ireland, the new free guide to forest walks in the Republic and Northern Ireland, is a must for holidaymakers this summer. County-by-county, the guide gives information on selected forests and woodlands with directions on how to get there. Copies are available from the Tree Council of Ireland, Cabinteely House, The Park, Cabinteely, Dublin 18. Tel: 01-2849211. E-mail: trees@treecouncil.ie
ECO-BUILDING practices. Renewable energy systems. Cultivated ecology. Social sustainability. What you get when you put all these green-living principles together into a practical educational package is permaculture. It's worth noting that an increasing number of courses in permaculture are now being held in Ireland.
Whether you want to learn how to run your home in a more ecologically sound way or whether you are about to launch a community project, you can learn to apply green principles to everything you do by going on a permaculture course.
Here's a sample of forthcoming courses: an introduction to permaculture (for gardens and farms) at The Hollies, Castletown, Enniskeane, Co Cork on July 13th to 14th (cost €114, tel: 023-470001) and at An Sanctoír, Ballydehob, Co Cork on July 20th to 21st (tel: 028-37155). Sustainable Ireland is also running a 12-day permaculture design course in Slí na Bande, Kilmurray, Newtownmountkennedy, Co Wicklow from August 2nd to 14th. The cost is €1,080, including full board or €635 if camping. Tel: 01-4912327. E-mail: sustainable.Ireland@anu.ie for more details.