Dates for your diary
Award for work on bog
THE Dutch Foundation for the Conservation of Irish Bogs is today presenting a Waterford community group with an international award for their role in conserving Fenor Bog. Móin Fhionnúrach Development Association was set up in 1991 to save the bog from becoming a dump. Today the 16 hectare site is the only national nature reserve in the county, with 300 species of plants and animals.
The award is being presented by Prof Matthijs Schouten who turned his attention to Ireland after the Netherlands completely cut away its native boglands. He established the foundation in order to raise funds to purchase, and thus conserve, Irish bogs. The foundation bought three sites in Westmeath, Galway and Kerry and subsequently gifted these to the Irish nation.
The local Fenor group has worked closely with the Irish Peatland Conservation Council. See ipcc.ie
Electric barges on canals
IT sounds too slow for our fast-paced lives but low-speed inland shipping may yet be an option in a post-carbon economy. The case for reopening and upgrading Irish canals (and even building new ones) to cater for barges powered by electric motors is made in the latest edition of Sustainability. Published by the Mayo-based non-profit Sustainability Institute, the magazine's focus is making the transition to a post-oil society.
It includes articles from the global food crisis to surviving in a recession, a critique of Irish building standards, the supply chain of the potato (in 2005 we imported potatoes from China), and horsepower (the original four-legged variety).The magazine is available from the publishers or selected retail outlets nationwide. See sustainability.ie for details.
Building from the earth
ASPIRING eco-builders are getting their hands dirty this weekend at a cob building course at the Hollies Centre for Practical Sustainability in West Cork. This ancient building technique uses a mix of subsoil, sand, clay and straw to sculpt solid walls that last for centuries.
"Cob encourages people to become less dependent on industrial, polluting and expensive products which dominate the housing market," says the centre's Thomas Reidmuller. He and his family live in their cob home at the centre, providing an inspiration for course participants.
"Learning how to build a beautiful and small house has often been the first step for people who felt trapped in consumerism to escape the treadmill." Cob houses can be relatively cheap although they are labour intensive. The Hollies will host a nine-day cob course in September with master builder Ianto Evans of Cob Cottage Company, Oregon, US. See theholliesonline.com for more details.
New mountain-bike trail
A new mountain-bike trail, a boardwalk and walks have been opened in forests near Oughterard, Co Galway. The facilities have been developed by Coillte in partnership with Fáilte Ireland at a cost of €800,000, and comprise the Derroura Mountain Bike Trail, the Lackavrea Boardwalk and the New Village loop walks.
The bike trail is 16km and offers views into the Maam valley and the Twelve Pins. It also offers great views of Lough Corrib.
For more details of all Coillte's walking and biking trails see coillteoutdoors.ie
ECOWEB
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Sustainability in practice in eastern Congo
Sylvia Thompson is on leave