Horizons

Get real at Christmas: Buying a real Christmas tree rather than an artificial one is the environmentally sound option, promoted by Irish Christmas Tree Growers and Coillte, the Irish Forestry Board.

Coillte is however going one step further this year by offering customers a chance to recycle their trees for woodchip fuel. The pilot project will see Christmas trees which are returned to Donadea Forest in Co Kildare and Glenealy Forest in Co Wicklow, turned into woodchip used by the wood energy company, Clear Power. This private company established the first commercial willow energy crop plantations in Ireland in 2000 and the first licenced waste management contracts using willow biofiltration in 2003. See www.coillte.ie for a countrywide list of Christmas Tree centres. See also www.clearpower.ie

Save our canals

The future of Irish canals depends on a restoration and development programme, co-ordinated by one public body, according to the Heritage Council. Currently, many Government departments and local authorities have responsibilities for canals and some canals such as the Boyne, Corrib and Lismore are falling into serious disrepair.

Beatrice Kelly from the Heritage Council says, "Canals, tow paths and the areas around canals are a unique resource. We should think of them as free outdoor gyms where we can walk, jog, go cycling or enjoy the wonderful biodiversity that canals support along the banks and in the water." The Heritage Council is adamant that the irreplaceable built and archeological heritage features of canals needs careful protection so that they can be safeguarded for future generations. See www.heritagecouncil.ie for details of the new policy paper on canals.

Sustainable education

Primary school teachers can learn how to bring environmental issues to the classroom at a day-long seminar in Dublin on Tuesday next in Enfo, 17 St Andrew St, Dublin. Organised by the Comhlamh project, Compass - Development Education in the Primary School, the aim is to highlight the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development from 2005-2014.

Speakers from the Departments of the Environment, Education and Foreign Affairs will give an overview of plans for the decade. Representatives from EcoUnesco and An Taisce's Green Schools programme will also offer ideas on how to draw on such educational resources. Contact Lizzie Downes, tel: 01-4783490 or e-mail lizzie@comhlamh.org. See also www.comhlamh.org

Winter solstice

Forest Friends Ireland/Cairde na Coille is celebrating the winter solstice on Sunday, December 18th at the Glencree Reconciliation Centre, Glencree, Co Wicklow. The celebrations include tree planting at 3pm, followed by music, poetry reading and storytelling at sundown. More details from John Haughton, tel: 01-8325415 or jjhaughton@hotmail.com.