A message from Cork Free Choice:
Alan Sloane, importer of Organic fruits will tell us about the growing regions and seasons for a huge variety of fruits.
At the Crawford Art Gallery Café, on Thursday 29th November at 7.30pm.
Admission €6 including tea & coffee and tastings!
People’s Picnic and Treeplanting at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork
Sat 1st Dec, 1pm onwards
Meet at Gobby Strand car park
(straight through Ringaskiddy village from Cork to carpark as road bends left towards Haulbowline)
No incinerators in Cork, Meath or Dublin
Solidarity with Erris and other communities in struggle
Stop destroying Tara
Yes to people’s forest in Cork harbour
Time to seize the future
Plant trees, enjoy the fresh air, meet like-minded people, share ideas and make plans.
Please bring picnic food to share, appropriate clothing, tools and trees to plant.
Share car space, bring your friends.
There is a bus from city to Ringaskiddy , don’t know times, sorry
Contact John: 085 7027828
As the incinerator issue comes back onto the agenda and communities across the country stand up against unjust developments we go to the proposed incinerator site at Ringaskiddy to affirm our commitment to a sustainable future and our solidarity with others in the same position.
This is the fourth year in succession that people have gathered at the proposed incinerator site at Ringaskiddy to plant trees in belief in a better world and in resistance to the degradation of our communities and environment.
This action is to move towards this saner world. Trees have the capacity to absorb carbon and other particles from the air. They increase soakage of water into the soil and so reduce flooding and help recharge aquifers, they act as supporters of biodiversity, provide us with food, fuel and medicines, in enough quantity they can even stabilize climate. Perhaps most importantly, being so much longer lived than ourselves they give us a sense of the future beyond our limited human life-spans. To survive the next decades we must plan and organize beyond them. Perhaps trees can help give us this sense of perspective.
Notes on treeplanting.
Never feel you need ask permission to plant a tree. This is a highly personal action between you and the Earth, no-one has the right to interfere. We would like to see massive, spontaneous plantings of trees all across the country. Having said that, sensitivity to and knowledge of local circumstances and to the trees themselves will go a long way in ensuring the trees you plant thrive.
Species:
Generally, stick to native species rather than introducing exotics to an area although given climate change and the unpredictability of the future there is an argument for experimenting with others. It’s helpful to look at trees already growing in an area and use them as a guide for species to plant.
Suggested species for Ringaskiddy are willow , hazel, alder and birch for the damp areas,
For the drier area perhaps,hawthorn, blackthorn, crab apples, wild pear, oak, ash, holm oak, we could also try planting sweet chestnuts and walnuts which may be a valuable food crop in the future.
Planting tips:
It’s important to look at aspect and drainage. The Ringaskiddy site is mainly east facing which means it gets good sun in the morning and it’s close to the sea but is fairly sheltered because of the harbour. You may also notice it’s very damp at the bottom of the hill at this time of year.
This land is also used for grazing cattle which means we have to be cunning as to how we plant as cows can damage young trees. A tactic that has worked well so far is to make keyhole openings into the gorse and brambles into which we plant our trees and then allow them to grow up around the tree thus protecting it. The danger here is that the brambles etc grow up too vigorously and smother the tree so it’s good if you can call back once or twice a year to check on your tree and clear around it a bit. It will appreciate the attention.
Size:
When planting think about the eventual size your tree will grow to. This has implications if you are planting close to buildings or structures (some buildings could do with being overrun by trees in my opinion) but also for other trees and plants. As a general rule plant larger trees towards the north, away from the sun and yr smaller ones at the front so that they are not overshadowed by the larger ones.
There’s a lot more to this obviously but the best thing is to learn by doing, plant a tree, come back and visit it, build a relationship with the place and the others who use it. This means that if it is ever under threat there will be people who care enough to stand up together and protect it. This is an important aspect of campaigning often forgotten in the struggle against things. We also have to put energy into what we want.
A message from Cork Environmental Forum:
CEF Plenary Session
Biodiversity and Local Food - Planning for People and Nature
Tuesday November 20th
Imperial Hotel, Cork 7.30-9.30pm
This meeting will explore how local food production can have a role in sustaining biodiversity and the benefits to both from this type of land-use. As we move towards a lower carbon future, local food will
become increasingly important and city and county development plans can support this by allocating suitable space in all new plans for growing, processing and sale of local food. As food prices follow fuel
prices upwards how can we plan for food security at the local level?
What provisions can be made for establishing local food networks, community gardens, allotments and market gardens?
This session will be chaired by Dr Colin Sage, Senior Lecturer in Geography and Environmental studies at UCC. Dr Sage is no stranger to food security at home and abroad, having been involved in the One
World group for many years. A panel made up of the Heritage officers from Cork City and County Councils and their researcher Dr Lesley Lewis will outline their work on Local Action Biodiversity Plans for
Cork, together with a representative from Sustain West Cork to outline plans for the new Bantry Allotment Scheme.
CEF invites your participation in this timely discussion and further details are available on www.cef.ie and by contacting us at info@cef.ie, 021 4340348, 028 37884.
A message from Cork Environmental Forum:
Vacancy: CEF Development Coordinator
Cork Environmental Forum is looking for a self employed person to provide all aspects of support for events, projects and implementation of development programme. Core skills in communication, administration, fundraising, promotion, good IT, basic bookkeeping, ability to work from home with personal access to computer and internet. Own transport, ability and experience in community work, publicity, media or marketing an advantage. 35 hours per week / 6 months renewable contract offered.
For Further Details see Job Description and Specifications.
http://www.cef.ie/latest_news/jobsopportunities.php