Ecotourism purism: Setting standards for eco-tour operators and eco-accommodation providers will be high on the agenda of the ecotourism conference in the Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim on June 8th and 9th.
Conference speakers will include James Hanrahan from the Sligo Institute of Technology, Paddy Matthews, manager of the environmental unit of Fáilte Ireland, and Robert Gibson, director of leisure, tourism and arts at Fermanagh District Council. Contact the Green Box, one of Ireland's designated ecotourism destinations, for more information. Tel: 071-9856898, e-mail marie@greenbox.ie.
For the sake of the corncrake
The corncrake was highlighted earlier this week as one of Ireland's endangered species, but thanks to Birdwatch Ireland, conservation projects have been in place since 1991. Each year, its Corncrake Conservation Project protects nesting sites of the corncrake in three principal breeding areas. This year, habitats will be managed in the Shannon Callows, west Connacht, Donegal and on the Dingle Peninsula in Co Kerry. The official Corncrake census carried out by Birdwatch Ireland field workers began last Saturday and will continue until July 10th. Members of the public are requested to report any sightings of the corncrake on 057-9151676 so that conservation action can be taken if necessary. For more details, e-mail bcaffrey@ birdwatchireland.ie.
Talks and walks in Wicklow
The Wicklow Mountains National Park summer lecture season begins on June 15th with a talk by Geoff Hamilton on protecting Ireland's woodlands and red squirrels. On June 29th, explorer and author Jonathan Shackleton will speak about penguins in Antarctica. On July 13th, Kieran Buckley, conservation ranger in Co Louth, will speak on Partridges in Peril: The Corncrake's Poor Relation, and on July 27th, Cara Doyle from the Wicklow Uplands Council will speak about 25 years of the Wicklow Way. Lectures take place every Thursday evening from June 15th to August 17th at 8pm in the Education Centre, Upper Lake, Glendalough, Co Wicklow. Admission free but parking is €4, tel: 0404-45425. See also www.wicklownationalpark.ie for details of special interest walks, family fun days and nature rambles throughout the summer months.
Larks in the Geopark
The Copper Coast Geopark in Co Waterford will host a number of events in the coming weeks. These include an exhibition of historic drawings and maps and contemporary photographs of the coastline in Tramore Coast Guard Station from tomorrow until June 11th (opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am-4.30pm, Sundays 2pm-5pm, admission free). An exhibition on the mining heritage of the Copper Coast area is also open from tomorrow until June 4th (2pm-4pm daily) in the Bunmahon Heritage Centre, Co Waterford. Walks and tours of the local strands and coves and megalithic sites are also scheduled. Tomorrow, children's activities will be organised at the Tramore Coast Guard Station from 10am. Tel: 051-292828, e-mail info@coppercoastgeopark.com for more details.
