Horizons

Prevention is better than cure is the maxim which encapsulates the mood of the Heritage Council's new report, Archaeology & Development: Guidelines for good practice for developers. A step-by-step guide to conserving our archaeology during the property development process, the report highlights various stages at which spot-checks and other assessments should be taken. Currently, some developers find themselves having to take on board costly excavations and time delays because they didn't carry out preliminary archaeological assessments. The key, according to the Heritage Council, is to check for archaeological remains before full building work begins. Michael Starrett, chief executive of the Heritage Council, says "our aim is to dispel the notion that conservation of archaeology and property development are mutually exclusive goals". If, and when, initial assessments indicate significant deposits, the Heritage Council suggests that the developer has several options: to seek a discount from the vendor; to design the development avoiding disturbance to archaeology; to design the development making the archaeology a key feature or to abandon the project entirely.

Ecological architect Brian O'Brian and ecological designer Michelle Hallahan are compiling the first comprehensive Dublin Greenmap for inclusion in www.greenmap.com - an inspiring website (see Web World at end of column) that brings together maps of "the environmentally elegant, the socially positive and generally delightful feature of cities". O'Brian and Hallahan suggest checking out the Copenhagen entry at www.ecomap.dk/english/kortet.asp or the New York entry at www.greenmap.org/nyc for good examples. Suggestions for inclusion, which must have the name, address and location (nearest cross streets), should be sent to hallahanm@nsai.ie or solearth@iol.ie

So you want to be a Viking? is the challenge put to youngsters who turn up at the National Museum in Kildare Street, Dublin tomorrow from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Participants will be drawn back to Viking times with the help of Gael agus Gall Living History Society and the Viking Ireland exhibition at the museum. On Wednesday at 1 p.m. also at the National Museum, Dr Neil Stronach, director of Fota Wildlife Park in Co Cork will share his thoughts on the precarious future of wildlife in Africa. Meanwhile, on Sunday, March 11th, at 3 p.m., children are invited to celebrate the traditions of St Patrick's Day in the Decorative Arts and History Museum in Collins Barracks, Dublin. Tel:01 6777444 for more details.

Congratulations to this year's winners of the Heritage Council/Ford Ireland community grants, which were awarded last week. Grants were awarded to 51 projects from a total fund of £229,000. Projects which won awards include the construction of a narrow gauge railway in Waterford, the restoration of a church organ in Cahirciveen and the establishment of an environmental award scheme in Clare.

Lothar Luken, German by birth and west Corkonian by lifestyle choice, is the current editor of Earthwatch magazine. He will give a lecture, entitled "Why do anything?" in the Theosophical Society offices at 31 Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 on Monday at 8 p.m. On Thursday at 7 p.m., "Disposable People: Slavery in the Modern World" is the theme of a documentary and public meeting in the Irish Film Centre, Temple Bar, Dublin. The speakers are Professor Kevin Bales, author of Disposable People and adviser to the United Nations on slavery, and Sabin Mukkath, an Indian activist working with bonded labourers. For more information on the campaign to abolish slavery, contact Trocaire on Tel: 01 2885385.