Juicy demonstrations: Following on from their successful event last year, the Organic Centre in Rossinver, Co Leitrim, is hosting another Apple Day tomorrow in association with the Irish Seedsavers Association.
There will be opportunities to touch, smell and taste some of the 140 varieties of native Irish apples propagated at the Irish Seed Savers orchard in Co Clare. Also, experts will be on hand to identify any unusual varieties you may have growing in your own garden. Talks on the history of the Irish apple, juicing demonstrations, home-made apple pies and tours of the Organic Centre's own orchard are included in the day's activities which run from 11 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Admission €4. Tel: 072-54338
Visiting local woodlands
Thursday next will be Ireland's sixth tree day. Organised by the Tree Council of Ireland, the aim of the day is primarily to encourage schoolchildren (and their teachers) to visit local woodlands, parks and forests. The Tree Council issues booklets on guilded walks in Coillte and Dúchas-managed forests and woods in more than 120 locations. Tel: 01-2849211 or your local authority for more details.
Wildlife park survey
Members of the public are invited to contribute to a wildlife survey of Dublin Parks which is currently under way. If you are a frequent visitor to the park and notice wild animals or birds, take some notes of your findings and send them to Mary Tubridy, 18 Copeland Grove, Clontarf, Dublin 3 (Tel: 01-8333195 or e-mail mtubridy@gofree.indigo.ie. The parks being surveyed are Le Fanu Park in Ballyfermot, Bushy Park in Terenure, St Kevin's Park, Camden Row, Dublin 8, Springdale Park, Edenmore, and St Anne's Park, Raheny. Members of the survey team will be on site over the next month and welcome information or comments from regular park-goers.
Talking about walking about
Achieving the sometimes opposing demands of walkers access to the mountains, farming practice and the susceptibility of our mountain walking routes will be hot topics for the 44th National Walking Routes conference which takes place in the West County Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare on Thursday and Friday next. Speakers from Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic will discuss best practice for walking events, countryside access and walking for health initiatives.
Tel: 065-6835912 or e-mail walks.ennis@eircom.net for more details. Cost: €100 for 2 days/€60 for one day.
Sale of ivory proposed
South Africa has joined forces with four other countries - Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia - to propose the legal sale of ivory once more. The South African delegation is hoping to persuade the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to allow them to sell ivory on the open market when CITES meets next month. Kenya and India are opposing the proposal. See also www.cites.org