Horizons

Bog standard functionsWorld Wetlands day next Saturday is an international celebration of wetlands which are areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, including shallow coastal areas.

Apart from their obvious value for water supply, power generation, peat production, fisheries and leisure activities, wetlands also have important aesthetic (think of the River Shannon, the Connemara bogs, the lakes of Killarney) and ecological functions. For instance, each winter, more than 60 Irish wetlands hold internationally important concentrations of waterfowl. To celebrate the plant and animal life of Irish wetlands, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has organised a series of family days. The venues include Knocksink Wood, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow (Sat, Feb 2nd, 11am, tel: 01-2866609), Wexford Wildfowl Reserve (Sat/Sun Feb 2nd and 3rd from noon, tel: 053-9123129), Wicklow Mountains National Park, Upper Lake, Glendalough, Co Wicklow (Sat, Feb 2nd, 11am, tel: 0404-45425) and Lough Croan, near Four Roads, Co Roscommon (Sat, Feb 2nd, 2.30pm, tel: 071-9666704). The Irish Peatland Conservation Council will hold a craft camp for seven- to 13-year-olds on Sat, Feb 2nd, in the Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Co Kildare. For details, tel: 045-860133.

A free conference on the Wise Use of Wetlands aimed at planners, farmers and farm advisers will be held in the Derryvalley Wetlands Centre, Ballybay, Co Monaghan, on Friday. To book, tel: 047-38140.

Emissions strategies

If you are interested in climate change and how Ireland will cut its carbon emissions by 3 per cent a year, then go along to the Climate Change debate in Cultivate, Temple Bar, Dublin on Tuesday at 8pm, at which environmental spokespersons from the six political parties put forward their strategies. The speakers are: Simon Coveney TD, Fine Gael; Bairbre de Brún MEP, Sinn Féin; Tony Killeen, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Fianna Fáil; Sen Fiona O'Malley, Progressive Democrats; Eamon Ryan, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Green Party; and Joanna Tuffy TD, Labour Party. The free debate is organised by the lobby group, People Against Climate Change.

Ecotourism conferences

The influence of climate change on holiday destinations will be explored at an ecotourism conference on Wednesday and Thursday in Co Fermanagh. Anna Pollock, a founding member of the Icarus Foundation (a research organisation that gives advice on climate-friendly tourism, www.theicarusproject.ca) will speak about policies and practices. Other speakers will look at renewable energies and corporate responsibility. The conference will take place in the eco-friendly Share Holiday Village, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh. To book, tel: 071-9856898, e-mail info@greenbox.ie or see www.greenbox.ie

There will be a conference on energy efficiency and sustainable communities on Monday in Dublin Castle. For more details, tel: 01-2403640 or e-mail mbruton@ipa.ie.

EcoWeb

www.ilpac.eu

This is the website of the Irish Light Pollution Awareness Campaign, the Irish section of the International Dark Sky Association. You can meet them today at the Galway Astronomy Festival in the Westwood House Hotel, Galway.