National Bike Week Charity Cycle - Sun 20 June, Ballincollig

Click to view this email in a browser	Friday 18th June 2010
Dear Archive,
Cork Environmental Forum have teamed up with Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Cork Sports Partnership, Cork Cycling Campaign and An Oige to bring you some fantastic events to celebrate National Bike Week.   Last Sunday our family cycle from Passage West to Blackrock Castle was a blast - you can see some photos here.  This Sunday (20th) we are hosting a Charity Cycle from Ballincollig to Fitzgeralds Park - all welcome, and no pre-registration required.  (Suggested donation of €2 to Marymount Hospice.) The ride will be fully stewarded by experienced cyclists and escorted by An Garda Siochana and there will be music, games, a puppet show and lots of yummy food waiting for you in the park! Enjoy!
Did you miss our recent newsletter?  This issue, 'Biodiversity', features splendid contributions from our members on frogs, eagles and aquatic invasives... a great read over a morning or afternoon cuppa!          Forward this message to a friend   Discount Offers We are delighted to announce that Ecostore.ie now offer a generous 10% discount to subscribers to the Cork Environmental Forum mailing list. Ecostore specialise in a wide variety of recycling, waste management and renewable sustainable products and have an excellent online catalogue from which you can order items to be delivered directly to your door. To avail of this excellent offer choose what products you would like to buy, proceed to checkout and when you are prompted for your address you will see a little box marked 'Coupon Code' - enter 'DC10' and your discount will be applied.   Cork Environmental Forum members and associates have also very kindly been offered a small number of discounted places for the upcoming "Stormwater Training Seminar - Flood Control and Water Quality Improvement" to be held at the beautiful Ballymaloe House on Tuesday 22nd June. The discount seminar fee will be €150 for the day, which includes lunch. For more information and bookings please contact FH Wetland Systems Ltd (065 679 7355 / reeds@wetlandsystems.ie), quoting reference 'Cork Environmental Forum 2010'.
Cork Environmental Forum Management Committee (2009-10) Michael Hobbs (Chair) - Public Pillar Kieran McDonogh (Vice-chair) - Business & Commercial Pillar Bernie Connolly (Treasurer) - Community & Voluntary Pillar William DeTuncq (Asst. Treasurer) - Business & Commercial Pillar Anna Aherne - Individual Pillar Barry Hurley - Individual Pillar Mary Barrett - Public Pillar Niall Leahy - Business & Commercial Pillar Richard Delahunty - Individual Pillar Tony Cain - Individual Pillar Patrick Treacy - Development Coordinator   Cork Environmental Forum representatives (2009-10) Kieran McDonogh: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel Cork District Michael Hobbs: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel SW Peninsulas District Lynn Daley: Cork County Heritage Forum Eva O'Connell: Cork City Heritage Forum David Lee: Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) Tony Cain: SW River Basin Advisory Council (Nominee) Patrick Treacy: South and East Cork Area Development Partnership Ltd Patrick Treacy: Common Purpose Local Advisory Group Phoebe Bright: Cork City Development Board Barry Hurley: Cork City Environment SPC Bernie Connolly: Cork County Environment SPC Mike Holden: Cork County Environment SPC Éanna Dowling: Cork County Social and Community SPC

NEWSLETTER: 'Biodiversity'

e Sky, Happy Frogs and aquatic invasives...

Can't see the pictures? Click to view this email in a browser	Forward this email to a friend
	Newsletter: Biodiversity To foster and promote sustainable development    in County Cork

June 2010   Welcome to the second CEF Newsletter.  We enjoyed a really positive reaction to our first issue in January on the subject of Water, and are delighted to be bringing you a celebration of Biodiversity in this edition.   As you may know, the United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity as a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity to our lives. Through the Spring and early Summer here in Cork, CEF has been organising a series of nature-related events to celebrate - for kids, for adults, for butterfly lovers, tree lovers, bug hunters... and have had a phenomenal response.  There are loads of pictures on our website, so if you want to join in the fun, start by looking at www.cef.ie. A big thank you to our members and associates who have contributed their expertise, observations and joy to this issue.  The full articles are hosted on our blog and are open to comments, so please feel free to contribute your thoughts.  (Some of you may have difficulty accessing our blog in the workplace, so PDF versions are provided for you to read in your lunch hour ;-) ) Patrick Treacy, Development Coordinator 10th June 2010   In This Issue -- Masters of the Sky -- The Frog Army -- Book review -- Aquatic Invasives   CEF Management Committee 2009-10 Michael Hobbs (Chair) Kieran McDonogh (Vice-chair) Bernie Connolly (Treasurer) William DeTuncq (Asst. Treasurer) Anna Aherne Barry Hurley Mary Barrett Richard Delahunty Tony Cain Patrick Treacy (Development Coordinator Masters of the Sky A quiet valley, late afternoon – the wind began to pick up. As it did, two giant birds of prey, sitting on rocks, flapped their wings and launched themselves into the air. After a few minutes, they were sailing in the wind showing their eight foot wingspan, slowly circling with their broad wings outstretched fully. Barely moving their wings, these masters of the sky circled and circled, and circled yet again, steadily gaining height. This could have been the highlands of east Africa. It could have been the mountains in Asturias in Spain, or in the Basque Country, with Griffon Vultures scouring the land for food. But no, this was Kerry in May 2009 in a valley near Kenmare. Read More (having trouble accessing our blog? Download the PDF instead.)   The Frog Army I always promised myself that when I bought a piece of land I would build a wildlife pond on it. It was only at the end of the second year that I saw the first signs of life coming into it. In the spring of the third year I had my first clump of frog spawn - and that summer the pond finally came to life with dragonflies and pond skaters, diving beetles etc, all moving in. The following spring I counted 15 frogs making spawn in the pond from my kitchen window. The next spring it was 23, then 34, then 45, then 64 and this spring I counted 83 frogs in the pond… I reckon next year I will make the ton! This all makes for a lot of croaking and splashing, in breeding season I can tell you… but I don't mind a bit. And I will tell you why. Read More (having trouble accessing our blog? Download the PDF instead.)   The Future of Life - Edward O. Wilson (2002) The first in a series of themed book reviews.  This issue features 'The Future of Life' by the double Pulitzer prize winning biologist and author Edward O. Wilson. Got any recommendations? We'd love to share them with our readers, so get your book reviews into us.   Read More (having trouble accessing our blog? Download the PDF instead.)     Aquatic Invasive Species In our last issue, David Lee contributed a fantastic piece on the Varroa Mite infestation of bee colonies.  Now he's back with an equally important article on the devastation being caused in Irish waters by aquatic invasive species.   Read More (having trouble accessing our blog? Download the PDF instead.)     CEF Members You will be receiving this newsletter as a result of being on our mailing list.  Did you know you can also join CEF as a member?  This brings all kinds of opportunities for getting involved in exciting work and meeting like-minded people.  Our members come from across the different pillars of society and all have a common interest at heart, which is to foster sustainable development in Cork.   Become a member of Cork Environmental Forum today! Subscribe from only €5 per calendar year. -- Join a working group -- Receive bi-monthly members mailings -- Meet like-minded people -- Take advantage of occasional discount offers -- Pay online

Discount on Stormwater training, Ballymaloe 22 June

Can't see the pictures? Click to view this email in a browser	Thursday 10th June 2010
Dear Archive,
Cork Environmental Forum members and associates have very kindly been offered a small number of discounted places for the upcoming "Stormwater Training Seminar - Flood Control and Water Quality Improvement" to be held at the beautiful Ballymaloe House on Tuesday 22nd June. The discount seminar fee will be €150 for the day, which includes lunch.     Bookings should be made directly with FH Wetland Systems Ltd (details on poster above), quoting reference 'Cork Environmental Forum 2010'.
Forward this message to a friend          Discount Offer We are delighted to announce that Ecostore.ie now offer a generous 10% discount to subscribers to the Cork Environmental Forum mailing list. Ecostore specialise in a wide variety of recycling, waste management and renewable sustainable products and have an excellent online catalogue from which you can order items to be delivered directly to your door. To avail of this excellent offer choose what products you would like to buy, proceed to checkout and when you are prompted for your address you will see a little box marked 'Coupon Code' - enter 'DC10' and your discount will be applied.
Cork Environmental Forum Management Committee (2009-10) Michael Hobbs (Chair) - Public Pillar Kieran McDonogh (Vice-chair) - Business & Commercial Pillar Bernie Connolly (Treasurer) - Community & Voluntary Pillar William DeTuncq (Asst. Treasurer) - Business & Commercial Pillar Anna Aherne - Individual Pillar Barry Hurley - Individual Pillar Mary Barrett - Public Pillar Niall Leahy - Business & Commercial Pillar Richard Delahunty - Individual Pillar Tony Cain - Individual Pillar Patrick Treacy - Development Coordinator   Cork Environmental Forum representatives (2009-10) Kieran McDonogh: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel Cork District Michael Hobbs: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel SW Peninsulas District Lynn Daley: Cork County Heritage Forum Eva O'Connell: Cork City Heritage Forum David Lee: Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) Tony Cain: SW River Basin Advisory Council (Nominee) Patrick Treacy: South and East Cork Area Development Partnership Ltd Patrick Treacy: Common Purpose Local Advisory Group Phoebe Bright: Cork City Development Board Barry Hurley: Cork City Environment SPC Bernie Connolly: Cork County Environment SPC Mike Holden: Cork County Environment SPC Éanna Dowling: Cork County Social and Community SPC

National Bike Week events - Family rides 13/20 June

Click to view this email in a browser	Wednesday 9th June 2010
Dear Archive,
Cork Environmental Forum have teamed up with Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Cork Sports Partnership, Cork Cycling Campaign and An Oige to bring you the following fantastic  events to celebrate the upcoming National Bike Week.   Both events are free and will use new cycling infrastructure coming into the city. We welcome you and all your friends to attend.
Forward this message to a friend   Discount Offer We are delighted to announce that Ecostore.ie now offer a generous 10% discount to subscribers to the Cork Environmental Forum mailing list. Ecostore specialise in a wide variety of recycling, waste management and renewable sustainable products and have an excellent online catalogue from which you can order items to be delivered directly to your door. To avail of this excellent offer choose what products you would like to buy, proceed to checkout and when you are prompted for your address you will see a little box marked 'Coupon Code' - enter 'DC10' and your discount will be applied.
Cork Environmental Forum Management Committee (2009-10) Michael Hobbs (Chair) - Public Pillar Kieran McDonogh (Vice-chair) - Business & Commercial Pillar Bernie Connolly (Treasurer) - Community & Voluntary Pillar William DeTuncq (Asst. Treasurer) - Business & Commercial Pillar Anna Aherne - Individual Pillar Barry Hurley - Individual Pillar Mary Barrett - Public Pillar Niall Leahy - Business & Commercial Pillar Richard Delahunty - Individual Pillar Tony Cain - Individual Pillar Patrick Treacy - Development Coordinator   Cork Environmental Forum representatives (2009-10) Kieran McDonogh: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel Cork District Michael Hobbs: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel SW Peninsulas District Lynn Daley: Cork County Heritage Forum Eva O'Connell: Cork City Heritage Forum David Lee: Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) Tony Cain: SW River Basin Advisory Council (Nominee) Patrick Treacy: South and East Cork Area Development Partnership Ltd Patrick Treacy: Common Purpose Local Advisory Group Phoebe Bright: Cork City Development Board Barry Hurley: Cork City Environment SPC Bernie Connolly: Cork County Environment SPC Mike Holden: Cork County Environment SPC Éanna Dowling: Cork County Social and Community SPC

Spaces available! Free children's art & nature workshop

Click to view this email in a browser	Friday 4th June 2010
Dear Archive, There are still a few spaces left on this fantastic free workshop on Monday, but if you want to take part you will need to book your place by tomorrow evening at the latest.
Free Children's Art Workshop for World Environment Day 2010! Monday June 7th 2010, Lifetime Lab, Lee Road, Cork 1-4pm
Childrens' Art and Nature Workshop Monday 7th June 1-4pm Lifetime Lab, Lee Road, Cork City   Painting, collage, fabrics and fun! Bring your children to create a banner of Irish Biodiversity and learn about Irish habitats and species. The end result will be a fabulous creation which will be displayed in central Cork, celebrating biodiversity and its importance with all passers by.  Ages 5+.  Free Workshop - all materials provided.  Come along for the whole afternoon of for as long as suits. Jessica Mason has been teaching environmental education for the last eight years, working in schools with community groups and children's summer camps. Photos of her recent Childrens' Nature Morning event in Fota Gardens can be found here.  Contact Patrick (patrick@cef.ie) for bookings (limited numbers).   World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 and is commemorated yearly on 5 June. The day's agenda is to: 1. Give a human face to environmental issues; 2. Empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; 3. Promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; 4. Advocate partnership which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future.   Know of any other events taking place to celebrate World Environment Day this year?  Let us know and we'll add them to our calendar and notice board...  Forward this message to a friend   Discount Offer We are delighted to announce that Ecostore.ie now offer a generous 10% discount to subscribers to the Cork Environmental Forum mailing list. Ecostore specialise in a wide variety of recycling, waste management and renewable sustainable products and have an excellent online catalogue from which you can order items to be delivered directly to your door. To avail of this excellent offer choose what products you would like to buy, proceed to checkout and when you are prompted for your address you will see a little box marked 'Coupon Code' - enter 'DC10' and your discount will be applied.
Cork Environmental Forum Management Committee (2009-10) Michael Hobbs (Chair) - Public Pillar Kieran McDonogh (Vice-chair) - Business & Commercial Pillar Bernie Connolly (Treasurer) - Community & Voluntary Pillar William DeTuncq (Asst. Treasurer) - Business & Commercial Pillar Anna Aherne - Individual Pillar Barry Hurley - Individual Pillar Mary Barrett - Public Pillar Niall Leahy - Business & Commercial Pillar Richard Delahunty - Individual Pillar Tony Cain - Individual Pillar Patrick Treacy Development Coordinator   Cork Environmental Forum representatives (2009-10) Kieran McDonogh: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel Cork District Michael Hobbs: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel SW Peninsulas District Lynn Daley: Cork County Heritage Forum Eva O'Connell: Cork City Heritage Forum David Lee: Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) Tony Cain: SW River Basin Advisory Council (Nominee) Patrick Treacy: South and East Cork Area Development Partnership Ltd Patrick Treacy: Common Purpose Local Advisory Group Phoebe Bright: Cork City Development Board Barry Hurley: Cork City Environment SPC Bernie Connolly: Cork County Environment SPC Mike Holden: Cork County Environment SPC Éanna Dowling: Cork County Social and Community SPC

Childrens Free Nature Morning at Fota - Saturday

Click to view this email in a browser	Wednesday 19th May 2010
Dear Archive,
The United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity - a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity to our lives.  At CEF we feel this is a party worth bringing to Cork and have organised some fantastic free events to mark the occasion. So whether it's creepy crawlies, woods, butterflies or squirrels you're into, we're sure there's something for you to get excited about! And if these don't tempt you, perhaps this will - our friend Tim Rowe is having a launch of the fantastic looking Bantry House Country Courses on Saturday 22nd March.
Childrens' 'Celebrate Nature' Morning Saturday 22nd May 11am-12.30pm Fota Arboretum Come and play nature games at Fota Arboretum! CEF are hosting a morning of nature games to celebrate Biodiversity day. From bug hunts and tree games to parachutes and balls of string, it will be a fun packed session for all the family. All ages are welcome and you need only bring yourselves! Jessica Mason has been teaching outdoor environmental education for the last eight years, working in schools with community groups and children's summer camps. Through informal and fun games children can learn about Irish habitats and wildlife whilst connecting with and enjoying the natural environment. A family fun workshop of games. Under 5's must be accompanied by an adult. It would be helpful to get an idea of numbers in advance, so please let us know (reply to patrick@cef.ie). Back to top  Forward this message to a friend Butterfly Walk with Cork Branch Irish Wildlife Trust Saturday 22nd May 12-2pm Nr. Minane Bridge Rodney Daunt, Regional Coordinator of the National Butterfly Survey will guide a fascinating walk along his regular transect near Minane Bridge (see the map above for the meeting point).  Please bring a packed lunch, walking shoes, sun cream/hat (if sunny) and a butterfly net or identification book if you wish with you on the day.  There will be a nice opportunity for a picnic at the end of the walk near Fountainstown. This event is almost full - so please email your name and mobile phone number as soon as possible to patrick@cef.ie if you would like to reserve a place. If for any reason the event has to be cancelled due to inclement weather, a text message will be sent to this number on the morning. Back to top    CEF Red Squirrel Survey Cork Environmental Forum, with the blessing of Coillte, are aiming to set up a Red Squirrel Protected Area in the South West Peninsulas District - but before this can happen we need to know exactly where the red squirrels are so we have set up an online Squirrel Survey. If you have spotted a squirrel recently in the area shown in the map on this page, we would be very grateful if you would take a few minutes to fill in the accompanying short online survey. (It shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes.) Back to top Discount Offer We are delighted to announce that Ecostore.ie now offer a generous 10% discount to subscribers to the Cork Environmental Forum mailing list. Ecostore specialise in a wide variety of recycling, waste management and renewable sustainable products and have an excellent online catalogue from which you can order items to be delivered directly to your door. To avail of this excellent offer choose what products you would like to buy, proceed to checkout and when you are prompted for your address you will see a little box marked 'Coupon Code' - enter 'DC10' and your discount will be applied.     Forward this message to a friend
Cork Environmental Forum Management Committee (2009-10) Michael Hobbs (Chair) - Public Pillar Kieran McDonogh (Vice-chair) - Business & Commercial Pillar Bernie Connolly (Treasurer) - Community & Voluntary Pillar William DeTuncq (Asst. Treasurer) - Business & Commercial Pillar Anna Aherne - Individual Pillar Barry Hurley - Individual Pillar Mary Barrett - Public Pillar Niall Leahy - Business & Commercial Pillar Richard Delahunty - Individual Pillar Tony Cain - Individual Pillar Patrick Treacy (Staff) Development Coordinator Éanna Dowling (Staff) Education & Community Project Officer   Cork Environmental Forum representatives (2009-10) Kieran McDonogh: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel Cork District Michael Hobbs: Coillte Social & Environmental Panel SW Peninsulas District Lynn Daley: Cork County Heritage Forum Eva O'Connell: Cork City Heritage Forum David Lee: Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) Tony Cain: SW River Basin Advisory Council (Nominee) Patrick Treacy: South and East Cork Area Development Partnership Ltd Patrick Treacy: Common Purpose Local Advisory Group Phoebe Bright: Cork City Development Board Barry Hurley: Cork City Environment SPC Bernie Connolly: Cork County Environment SPC Mike Holden: Cork County Environment SPC Éanna Dowling: Cork County Social and Community SPC

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