Horizons

A Heritage & Habitat roundup

MAKE WAY FOR APPLE DAY

As more and more people turn to growing their own vegetables in allotments and gardens across the country, the Apple Day on Sunday, September 27th, at Sonairte, the Ecology Centre, Laytown, Co Meath should attract larger crowds than usual.

Visitors can take tours of the fruit orchards, learn about planting an orchard and buy native Irish apple trees. Children can also enter apple peeling competitions, apple quizzes or bob for apples.

Meanwhile in the same venue on Tuesday, there is a workshop celebrating the autumn equinox. Participants will be encouraged to look at what needs balance in their lives and communities. Tel: 041- 9827572 sonairte.org

GREEN ECONOMY GATHERING

“Towards a Green Economy: Prioritising the environment in difficult times” is the theme of the Environmental Protection Agency’s fifth annual conference on Wednesday and Thursday in the Croke Park conference centre, Dublin.

Experts will address the usual themes – sustainable development, climate change, biodiversity, waste management and water resources. Over 300 delegates are expected to attend Environment Ireland which is the largest conference on environmental policy and management held in Ireland. To register for the conference, email bookings@bmfconferences.com or Tel: 01- 6613755.

See also epa.ie for more details on the conference

ASTRONOMY SKETCHED

In the Footsteps of Galileo, an international exhibition of astronomical drawings opened in the Historic Science Centre at Birr Castle, Birr, Co Offaly yesterday.

The show of astronomical sketches of lunar, planetary, solar and deep sky objects, includes many previously unseen sketches by Sir Patrick Moore, astronomer and presenter of the BBC's The Sky at Night. The exhibition also includes many moon drawings by children and sketches from the United States, Iran and various European countries. It will be on show in Birr Castle until November 2nd. See irishastronomy.org birrcastle.com

Tel: 057-9120336

ECOWEB

askaboutireland.ie

Following the closure of the ENFO offices in St Andrew’s St, Dublin (and Cultivate’s relocation there), much of ENFO’s environmental information has been subsumed into this new website.

A useful resource for schools, it includes clear introductions to areas such as biodiversity, water quality.