January walk

January walk on Sunday 13th to Portlaw. Meeting point is Clongegam Church and start time is 2 pm sharp. The 2 hour walk is on country road and woodland trail and is family friendly. The walk will be co-guided by Mr John Crotty from Portlaw. Afterwards we go to the Portlaw Heritage Centre for a short visit. Directions for Clonegam: From Waterford drive through the village of Portlaw and then uphill past the entrance to Curraghmore Estate. Follow the road up and over the hill and at the bottom of the hill turn into the left to the church. Call 083-106-7042 if serious rain threatens.

Coastal Zone

The theme for the next meeting of the Waterford branch of the Irish Wildlife Trust on Monday January 14th will be :  the Coastal Zone...how to record what you see, a geographer's perspective.
The venue will be the Edmund Rice Heritage Centre, Barrack Street, Waterford at 7.30 p.m. 

The AGM will follow discussion. at 8.45  pm.  There will be very short  updates on a number of pressing ecological issues such as the Ash tree die back, the seal situation on our coast,   

Agenda

1.        Minutes of 2012 AGM

2.       Financial Report

3.       General Report from Chairman

4.       Motions

5.       Election of Committee

Note:   The Branch has had a busy year with individual members also contributing with a number of activities for children and adults.  There is much more we would like to do but that always depends on voluntary activity.  It is not necessary to commit to be part of the committee to undertake a project.  The AGM will be an opportunity to establish priorities and to do that I am asking you to make time to come to the AGM and help develop a plan of activities and priorities for the  coming year.

 

IWT Christmas outing

The Irish Wildlife Trust’s Christmas  walk and social takes place next Sunday December 16th  starting at 2 pm from the main car park at Woodstown.  We will walk to Creadan ( Fornaught) Strand and from there to the Giant’s Grave ( the Neolithic Passage grave at Harristown) along a section of the legendary Bóthar na mBan Gorm and by road back to Woodstown.  The walk is about 2½ hours and will be energetic in places.  The Bóthar is badly rutted near the Grave  and uneven in other places so strollers are not recommended..   But there is an option of a shorter route suitable for strollers.   Otherwise it is a family friendly event full of interest for all ages.  Afterwards there will be an informal Christmas get -together in a local hostelry and we would love to meet and chat with  members and friends 
and the general public  there.   

Coastwatch 2012

Cliff slumping near Raheen bridge

Catching crabs using recyled tyres at Fornaght Bay

Worms that think they are Coral dwellers at Newtown head

Washed up...not the blogger, the oyster bed remnants

Oyster beds at Woodstown

Some pix from Curraghmore taken during Heritage week

well worth a visit when the open their gates to the public officially.

Saving our Wetlands

The Irish Wildlife Trust and Waterford County Council co-sponsor  two events this week.  On Wednesday September 26   at 8.15 pm,  the co-chairs of the  of the Irish Ramsar Wetlands Committee, Olivia Crowe and Tadhg O’Mahony,  will facilitate presentations by members of the Committee.  The  event is entitled Saving our Wetlands  – The Role of the  Irish  Ramsar Wetlands Committee.   This talk will take place at the Edmund  Rice Centre, Barrack St Waterford and starts at 8.15 pm.  Admission free and all are welcome. 

 The following day, Thursday September 27,  there will be a conference entitled The Value Of Wetlands.  The opening address wil be given by Eamon de Buitleir.  Venue for this is the Education Centre Dunhill   (Dunhill Enterprise Park near the GAA field).  Registration takes place at 8.45 am and the conference begins at 9 am.  Fee is €35/€25 concessions and lunch is included.  Field trips to Fenor Bog and the Dunhill Wetlands included.  All welcome to these major events in the story of Irish Wetlands.

September Outing to Cuffs Grange

Highbank Organic Farm at Cuffs Grange is our destination for the first outing of the new season on Sunday September 23rd. Meet at 3 p.m. This will be a two hour walk around and through this wonderful organic orchard and farm. The event will be led by the owners of the farm Rob and Julie and will be a real treat for all the family. Highbank Farm is just off the main Callan to Kilkenny road, about 4 miles south of Kilkenny. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn first hand about so many aspects of sustainable farming and land management. Telephone 051-382629 for further information and car pooling arrangements.