Horizons

Gathering seeds for the planting of native Irish trees has become a popular activity in the autumn months. And, if you consider that the People's Millennium Forests project couldn't be completed last year due to a shortfall in acorns, there is a certain worthiness to the pursuit. Conservation Volunteers Ireland are leading teams of seed gatherers on trips to forests throughout the country in October and November. You can join them on one of the following outings: to the Wicklow Mountains National Park on Saturday and Sunday next, the Phoenix Park on Sunday, October 21st, Shankill Castle, Paulstown, Co Kilkenny on Sunday, October 21st and/or Knocksink Wood Nature Reserve on days yet to be specified.

An ╙ige has also organised a seed gathering event in Knockree Nature Reserve, Co Wicklow for Saturday, November 10th. For further details on meeting points and advice on what clothes to wear. Tel CVI : 01-4547185 or e-mail: info@cvi.ie

Christ church Cathedral - as the oldest standing building in Dublin - is the venue for a series of free lunchtime lectures on Christianity, which begins on Tuesday. Prof Sean Freyne from the School of Hebrew, Biblical and Theological Studies, Trinity College Dublin, will speak on The Birth of Christianity and Christianising of Empire on Tuesday. Dr Michael Haren from the Irish Manuscripts Commission will speak on the Development of the Medieval Papacy on Tuesday, October 16th. Dr Catherine Swift from the Department of Modern History, NUI, Maynooth, will speak on Patrician and Non-Patrician missions to Ireland and the establishment of Armagh on Tuesday, October 23rd. Dr Ailbhe Mac Shamhrβ from the Department of Old and Middle Irish, NUI, Maynooth, will speak on the Monastic Organisation of Irish church with reference to Glendalough on Wednesday, October 31st. Lectures begin at 1.15 p.m. Tel: 01-6778099 for more details or check out the Christchurch Cathedral website at www.cccdub.ie

A reminder to all organic growers and farmers that the annual conference of the Irish Organic Farmers' and Growers' Association takes place in the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry next Friday and Saturday. Organic farming experts from Denmark, the Netherlands and Britain will speak along with home-grown experts from Teagasc, the Department of Agriculture, the Food Safety Authority and An Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board. Sunday's programme is more leisurely with visits to the Natural Home, Garden and Farm Centre, Miltown and Muckross Traditional Farm in the grounds of Muckross House. Tel: 0506-32063.

A new study of red squirrels in northern England and southern Scotland offers hope to those concerned about the decline in genetic diversity among many native animal species. Though their numbers have plummeted elsewhere, red squirrels are relatively abundant in these areas of Britain. The study - reported in the Journal of Science - discovered that although the red squirrel habitats are fragmented, they can be linked by corridors or "stepping stone" patches. When this occurs, the group of habitats can serve as a single large habitat. The authors of the study note that these findings could have important implications for conservation management of species that occupy fragmented landscapes.

www.antaisce.org

This is the website of An Taisce, which bills itself as Ireland's oldest non-governmental environmental organisation. The site has a county-by-county archive of buildings at risk, an archive of documents relating to planning and lobbying and environmental news from around the world. Also background information on An Taisce and how to join your local branch.

horizons@irish-times.ie