Declining monarch: The Monarch butterfly is usually so abundant that biologists measure its population in terms of the area it covers, rather than the numbers of individual butterflies. However, this year, alarm bells have begun to ring as the number of Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico are at their lowest since records began in the 1970s.
According to a report in New Scientist magazine, numbers were a 10th of their 1996-1997 peak. Illegal logging in butterfly reserves in Mexico is deemed to be the gravest threat. By clearing trees from lower slopes, loggers push butterflies to higher forest where they die of the cold. Bad weather has also hampered breeding as has use of weedkillers that destroy milkweed plants on which the Monarch lay eggs.
In praise of potatoes
The annual celebration of the potato goes ahead at the Organic Centre, Rossinver, County Leitrim, tomorrow. Essentially an opportunity for vegetable-growers to learn more about the humble potato, there will be talks on dealing with potato-blight organically, demonstrations on boxty-making and potato-printing for children. Seed potatoes and onions are on sale throughout the day, which runs from 11am-5pm. Admission €5, children free. Contact 071-9854338 or organiccentre@eircom.net.
More life is less use
Getting more out of life by using less, is the theme of the second sustainable community workshop at the Airfield Trust, Dundrum, Dublin on Wednesday next. Healthy Communities - an introduction to permaculture is the title of the workshop which begins at 8pm. Tickets €8. Forthcoming workshops will look at building a sustainable community with the Village project in Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, used as an example (Wednesday, April 27th) and local food communities, hosted by Dublin Food Co-op and Feasta (Wednesday, May 25th). See also www.thevillage.ie; www.dublinfoodcoop.com and www.sustainable.ie.
Booking: 01-2984301.
Restoration work fair
A little advance notice for a traditional building skills in action show run by the Irish Georgian Society. Running on May 28th and 29th in the Warehouse, Albert Quay, Cork, the fair is part of the official programme of Cork 2005 European City of Culture. It will include demonstrations of stone-cutting, working with lime-based mixes, thatching, historic paint effects, blacksmithing, restoration of joinery and plasterwork.
E-mail info@igs.ie or 01-6620290
Save our species
Those interested in the protection of the Irish hare, the corncrake, the pollan (a freshwater fish) and Irish-Lady's tresses (a small orchid with cream coloured flowers) can submit comments on the draft All-Ireland Species Action Plans to the Species and Regulations Unit, National Parks and Wildlife Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service, 7 Ely Place, Dublin. Copies of the draft plans are available from the unit;
they can be downloaded from www.npws.ie. Comments must be sent by April 8th. E-mail: natureconservation@environ.ie
