Budding poets from the Rathmines Writers' Group are teaming up with Forest Friends Ireland (Cáirde na Coille) in a poetry reading tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin.
- "Conservation through collaboration is the way forward," says Lorraine Dufficey, Irish Wildlife Trust co-ordinator of the new Networks for Nature project. Together with Neil Foulkes from Crann, Dufficey is thrilled with the outcome of a conference on the future of hedgerows held at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Co Kildare, earlier this month.
<strong>"We now have representatives from the Forest Service, the Department of Agriculture, Dúchas, the Heritage Service, The Heritage Council, the Irish Farmers' Association, the Professional Agricultural Contractors and local authorities on a national steering committee which will work towards the long-term conservation of hedgerows," says Dufficey. The Heritage Council grant-aided the project to the tune of €50,000 and the group is in negotiation for a further €50,000 for training, research and education. The need for a National Hedgerow Survey - to record the level of hedgerow damage - has been recognised as a priority. "Now there is a mechanism for bringing hedgerows into the wider agenda of the National Spatial Strategy," says Neil Foulkes. See www.networksfornature.com</strong>
- DUBLIN-BASED enthusiasts of architecture and design should pop in to the National Museum, Collins Barracks, on their way home from work at 6.30 p.m. any Tuesday between now and May 21st for a series of lectures on the work of pioneering Irish artist, architect and designer Eileen Gray, whose work is currently on exhibition there. For further details, telephone 01-6777444.
- DÚCHAS, the Heritage Service, is currently seeking groups keen to participate in National Heritage Week, which runs from September 1st to 8th. Environmental groups keen to spread awareness of their activities will benefit from the publicity generated by programme material distributed locally and nationally. Anyone interested in organising guided nature walks, bird watches, bat watches, tree plantings or anything else within the ambit of natural or built heritage should contact coconnor@ealga.ie or telephone 01-6472466.
- ENVIRO-FEST in the West, the first environmental festival run by the environmental group, Mayo E-Live, is currently in full swing. "Our first task is to change the mindset . . . If we can heighten awareness, we can hopefully prevent further problems of soil erosion and bad planning and development," says Brian Hoban, local historian and member of Mayo E-Live.
<strong>Budding poets from the Rathmines Writer's Group are teaming up with Forest Friends Ireland (Cairde na Coille) in a poetry reading tomorrow at 2p.m. at the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin.</strong>
<strong>John Haughton of Forest Friends Ireland is keen to spread the word that the tree charity has also received a delivery of 2,000 broadleaf trees, which will be available to community groups for local tree planting. Further details of forthcoming walks, plantings and lectures from Forest Friends Ireland, PO Box 7814, Dublin 1 (tel: 01- 8325415; website: www.cairdenacoille.org)</strong>
<strong>sthompson@irish-times.ie</strong>