Solving the housing crisis: The Firkin Crane Centre housed in a former 18th century butter market in Shandon, in Cork city is the setting for a one-day conference on housing on Friday, May 2nd.
Entitled, Housing Ireland - Blighted Bliss?, and organised by the National Landscape Forum, it will discuss and debate ways forward for both urban and rural housing. With once-off houses built in the countryside and suburban estates in small villages around the capital both causing controversy, speakers will suggest more sustainable options for our burgeoning population. Delegates are invited to send short contributions in advance to bhl@indigo.ie or post to Landscape Alliance Ireland, Old Abbey Gardens, Waterfall, Co Cork. Such contributions will be featured on www.landscape-forum-ireland.com before the conference.
Conference fee is €100/€40 (for members of voluntary organisations) and €25 (students and oaps). Tel: 021 4871460 for more details.
Local environment awards
Community groups, local authorities and individuals active in environmental conservation should be putting the finishing touches to their applications for this year's ESB/CVI Community Environment Awards. The closing date for receipt of entries is May 30th. Application forms are available from Conservation Volunteers Ireland, The Stewards House, Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin 14, tel: 01 4952878 or www.cvi.ie. The awards will be presented by CVI president, Prof David Bellamy in September.
Communal living
Max Comfort and Jo Rowbotham are a husband and wife team involved in a new form of urban village in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England. Addressing the subject of co-housing and 'intentional communities' (i.e. groups of people who live in housing schemes they have designed and built themselves), Comfort and Rowbotham will speak at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday in Cultivate, the sustainable living centre in Temple Bar, Dublin, tickets €5 in advance, tel: 01 6746396. They will also run a weekend workshop in Rossbeigh (near Glenbeigh), Co Kerry from April 25th to 27th for those interested in such sustainable living projects (€40 from tel: 01 4912773).
Amphibious questions
Frogs are most likely to be found in Co Dublin and Co Kerry according to preliminary results from the 2003 Hop to It frog survey co-ordinated by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council. This, the first large-scale recording of frogs since 1997, continues until next month.
Popping up in more and more private gardens, these amphibious creatures are in decline worldwide as natural and wild habitats are lost. Survey cards can be printed from www.ipcc.ie or record your sightings and post them to the Irish Peatland Conservation Council, 119 Capel St, Dublin. Meanwhile, Dublin frog-watchers can hop along to a spring sale of work and plant sale to help save bogs on Saturday next at Christ Church Hall, Rathgar, Dublin from 10 a.m. If you would like to volunteer your help or make a donation, tel: 01 8722397.