The holly in Ireland's woodlands is being decimated by widespread hacking of holly trees every Christmas, according to the Conservation Education Trust. Woodland surveys carried out by Conservation Education Trust staff in Dublin and Wicklow have found a disproportionate ratio of male to female trees and in some locations, a total absence of female trees. Female holly trees are the berry bearing variety, essential for the survival of the species. The holly tree is considered vital for broadleaf trees because it provides cover for seedlings. The also provide food and shelter for wildlife. The Conservation Education Trust recommends two courses of action. First, don't buy holly this Christmas and don't cut it in the wild. Use other greenery instead, such as traditional ivy (not endangered by cutting) and berried garden shrubs. Second, plant holly trees in your own garden or in the nearest wood. For an information sheet on planting holly trees, send an SAE to The Conservation Education Trust, The Community Centre, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin. Tel: 01-2827920.
"The Sacred Treasures of the Medieval Church" is the title of an exhibition currently running at the National Museum, Kildare Street, Dublin. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the recently acquired Mias Tighearnain or Dish of St Tighearnan. It was named after the patron saint of the monastery of Errew on the shores of Lough Conn, Co Mayo. The exhibition, which continues until March 4th, includes other medieval reliquaries such as the Shrine of St Patrick's Tooth.
"Ten Years Collecting" is another exhibition in the National Museum. This celebrates the past 10 years of discovery of archeological objects by people from all over Ireland. It addresses such issues as how objects are found, their age, what happens when they go into the museum and how they are conserved. The hardest question of all to answer is how much money to give the finder.
Talk about finding a good excuse for a celebration. The Irish Plant Society is holding a centenary exhibition relating to botanist Augustine Henry. Not the centenary of his birth in 1857. Nor of his death in 1930 - but his departure from China. Henry is remembered for his discovery of more than 1,000 plant species in China - many of which are now commonly found in our gardens. Examples of plants that bear his name are the Chinese Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus henryana, and the lime tree, Tilia henryana. The exhibition tales place today and tomorrow at the National Botanic Gardens Education-Visitors Centre, Glasnevin, Dublin.
"father Christmas meets Mother Nature" is how the charitable body, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, at Comber, Co Down, is billing its "green" Santa. Although he is taking up residence in the wetlands grotto today and tomorrow, he will be dressed in traditional garb and distributing presents to children. Cost: £3.75 per child includes a gift and a bag of duck food. So, weather permitting, the children can feed the ducks and geese in the grounds of Castle Espie. Tel: 04891874146 for more details.
Web world
www.ecouncil.ac.cr
There is a mountain of information on the website of the Earth Council, which has been in existence since 1994. Most interesting, in light of the disappointing results of the international conference on climate change at The Hague last month, are details of the National Councils for Sustainable Development, set up to oversee the implementation of the Earth Summit agreements, and the Earth Charter Campaign.
E-mail: horizons@irish-times.ie
Out of doors
Recently blackbirds and song thrushes have been joined by flocks of wintering thrushes - the larger fieldfare and the smaller redwing - moving from Scandinavia and Iceland. As the colder weather grips Britain in December, many more thrushes move to Ireland to polish off the remaining hedgerow fruits. If disturbed, they fly up in great clacking flocks, wheeling away to the next field.
Early December is a time when our usually silent foxes become very vocal. The barking of a vixen at night in the woods or fields sounds for all the world like a banshee. They are now actively defending territories and attracting partners for the mating season in the new year.
Richard Nairn
