IEF to take fight nationwide

Horizons: A new environmental group, the Irish Environmental Forum (IEF) has been set up to offer mutual support to communities fighting against industrial pollution, incinerators and mobile phone masts.

The IEF will liaise with more than 20 different groups around the country and is chaired by Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott. "There's no substitute for the local fight but we want local groups linked up for mutual help and information and to nationally start highlighting the fact that it isn't just happening in one place," Sinnott said following the launch of the IEF. Groups that have signed up to the forum include farmers concerned about industrial pollution in Limerick, residents fighting the Indaver incinerator in Cork Harbour and people opposed to mobile phone masts in Waterford. For more information contact Pat Geoghegan, tel: 087-2241182, geogheganpat@eircom.net

Limerick law lectures

"Current Issues in Environmental Law" is the theme of a series of free public seminars at the school of law in the University of Limerick over the coming months. Run by the International Commercial and Economic Law Research Group, the seminars will deal with climate change, environmental enforcement in Ireland, fisheries in Ireland, lessons from North America and Environmental Impact Assessments. "Because environmental problems rarely respect boundaries, solutions are often international," says Ronan Kennedy of UL. Kennedy will give the first seminar, Climate Change: The Irish Response, on Thursday, February 16th. Tel: 061 202344, ronan.kennedy@ul.ie

Getting bogged down

Wet, Wonderful and Wild Bogs and Fens is the title of an Irish Peatland Conservation Council evening course on bogs, which begins on Tuesday at UCD's Adult Education Centre. Each two-hour session will include hands-on classes and slide shows on heritage, wildlife and conservation of bogs. The course will also include a field trip on Saturday, March 11th to three peatland sites in the Bog of Allen. Tel: 01-7167123 (quoting HN207) for more details. Cost €180. See also www.ipcc.ie. Meanwhile, an introductory course in sustainable woodland management, run by the environmental charity Celt, begins on Saturday next at 11am in Bealkelly Wood, Tuamgraney, Co Clare. The course will be held over six consecutive weekends. Cost €200. See www.celtnet.org, tel: 061-640765.

Monumental measures in NI

Pollution and inappropriate repair is damaging many important monuments and buildings in Northern Ireland, according to the Environment and Heritage Services there. A new initiative aims to assess such problems and remedy the situation using stone from local quarries where possible. The Natural Stone Weathering Database will be established next year to help architects and building contractors source suitable stone for building and repair. Consarc Design Group and Queen's University Belfast will carry out surveys of quarries in Northern Ireland to gauge availability of stone. See www.ehsni.gov.uk.