Horizons

Eco-friendly presents: The choice of environmentally friendly and nature-focused Christmas presents on sale in Ireland is on the increase, thanks to the efforts of organisations such as the Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Birdwatch Ireland and speciality shops such as the one in Cultivate, Temple Bar, Dublin, and Ecoshop, Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow.

Quirky products made from recycled materials are also on sale and parents in search of wooden toys have a better selection now, with some toys available even in the larger toy stores. This week's Horizons offers readers a snapshot of interesting Christmas present ideas.

Birdwatch Ireland has a beautiful selection of books, tapes, CDs, videos, posters and materials for birdwatchers on sale in their Wings Shop, Rockingham House, Newcastle, Co Wicklow. Orders are also taken by phone or from its online catalogue. Children's books such as the Usborne Nature Trail Book (€14.50), The Visual Encyclopedia of Animals (€14.50), the Pocket Nature Guides (€2.20) and the Usborne Sticker Books (€6) are particularly appealing. The set of 16 Irish Natural Gallery greeting cards (€26) are all-occasion cards with striking photographs of Irish birds, animals and flowers. The Wildflower seed shakers (€20) each of which contains 15,000 wildflower seeds and the wildflower seed mats (€20) encourage people to maintain natural, bird-friendly areas in their gardens. Birdwatch Ireland can be contacted at tel:01 2819878, fax: 01-2819763, website:www.birdwatchireland.ie and e-mail: info@birdwatchireland.org.

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council has a mail-order catalogue of books, tapes, CDs, videos and fold-out charts. Its range of Christmas cards, playing cards and writing sets is particularly impressive. The Irish Peatland Conservation Council can be contacted on tel:01 8722384, fax:01-8722397 and e-mail bogs@ipcc.ie

The Tree Council of Ireland has initiated a new family tree scheme with Scouting Ireland in Larch Hill, Rathfarnham, Dublin. The name of the person and the occasion you want remembered will be recorded and a certificate recording the dedication will be sent to the person of your choice. Cost €50. The broadleaf trees planted are mainly oak and ash and you can also visit the tree by arrangement. Similar family tree schemes also exist in the gardens of Birr Castle, Co Offaly, Strokestown House, Co Roscommon and Muckross House, Co Kerry. Cost €35. Contact the Tree Council of Ireland on tel:01 2849211, fax:01 2849197 and e-mail trees@treecouncil.ie

Paying the course fees for an introduction to organic gardening, cheese-making, stone-wall building or mushroom hunting is certainly a more adventurous Christmas present choice. The Organic Centre in Rossinver, Co Leitrim, runs courses from February to early December. Some courses are also held in Airfield House, Dundrum, Dublin, and on an organic farm in Co Clare. Get a copy of the 2004 catalogue by calling tel: 071 9854338 or see www.theorganiccentre.ie. The Three Rock Institute, Quinns Road, Shankill, Co Dublin (tel:01 2827331, e-mail tri@indigo.ie) and The Hollies, Castletown, Enniskeane, Co Cork (tel:023 47001 e-mail: thehollies@eircom.net) also run courses on environmental practises throughout the year. And Birdwatch Ireland runs field courses on Cape Clear Island from May to September.