Posted on: 12/11/08

Waterford IT and Teagasc, Johnstown Castle will be hosting the 19th Irish Environmental Researchers' Colloquium (ENVIRON 2009) between the 18th and 20th of February 2009. ENVIRON 2009 is Ireland's largest annual environmental conference. Its principal objective is to emphasise environmental research and associated innovative technologies. This colloquium attracts researchers and academics from both the industrial and third level sectors and aims to link primary research with the important applied problems that Ireland's environment currently faces.

This year's coordinator, Dr Laura Kirwan, is a WIT researcher based in Johnstown Castle. The conference will be located on campus in WIT. In order to ensure a high scientific standard at this year's colloquium, the conference abstracts will be reviewed for the first time. We will also be introducing 3 minute oral presentations of posters. The National Biodiversity Records Centre, which is based in WIT, will be running an Invasive Species workshop.

Registration and abstract submission will be available online on www.esaiweb.org from December 1st. We invite abstracts from all areas of Environmental Science.

For more information contact Laura Kirwan (conference coordinator) at 053 9171239 or email Laura.Kirwan@teagasc.ie.

Posted on: 31/10/08

"Municipal Solid Wast - Meeting the Landfill Diversion Targets & The Necessary Standards for Pre-Treatment"

We are delighted to announce details of the next conference to be held by the Irish Centre of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland (ESAI). We would like to extend a cordial invite from the committees of both Institutions to you to attend this event.

To be held on Thursday November 13th in the Millennium Hall situated in Cork City Hall, this meeting will focus upon the highly topical issue of waste pre-treatment, addressing aspects such as:

Options for Pre-Treatment

Verifying the Pre-Treatment Process

Demonstrating Compliance

Treatment Technology Options

It is proposed that the findings, comments and outcomes of the day will be presented to the EPA as part of the current consultation process after the event.

The meeting is aimed at all industry sectors - private sector waste management companies, solution providers, operators of treatment facilities, local authority staff, Agency staff, environmental consultants, equipment manufacturers, interest groups and other interested parties. This meeting will have something of interest for everyone and will hopefully create for some lively discussion and debate throughout the day.

In addition, a number of solution providers with respect to the topic matter, will be exhibiting at the conference. This will enable delegates to discuss problems and potential solutions and to network with colleagues.

The cost of attendance at this event is €175.00 for members of either Institution and €250.00 for non-members. If you would like to attend please complete and return a booking form to the address shown. Payment should be by cheque made payable to "Chartered Institution of Wastes Management" or "ESAI". Alternatively, please enclose a purchase order number.

To access the conference programme, please click here. Conference lunch will be provided in the nearby Clarion Hotel. If you require accommodation, this must be arranged directly with the hotel and a special single room rate has been negotiated - just state that you are attending this conference.

Posted on: 15/10/08

One day Conference : "Mitigating climate change, The challenges and opportunities for Forestry in Ireland"
Date: 5th November 2008
Venue: Silver Springs Hotel, Cork

For up to date information please visit INFF Conference Information

Climate change is widely recognised as the greatest environmental challenge facing the world today and it is well established that sustainable forestry systems can have a significant role in mitigating these changes.

Climate change will bring challenges and require adjustments to the way that forests in Ireland are managed. Newly created, and existing forests, will have to be diverse and robust enough to cope with an uncertain future. We will have to pursue a flexible form of forestry which can be modified to match the changing conditions.

The Irish Natural Forestry Foundation (INFF) is hosting a one day conference in order to stimulate debate and cooperation between all sectors involved in forestry, farming and water management and to help develop the informed policies and practices necessary to address the challenges that climate change presents.

This one day event will include speakers from Ireland and abroad and will be an opportunity to showcase the lessons learned from the INFF demonstration and education centre on the Manch Estate in West Cork.

The conference is being part funded by the Department of Environment and the Forest Service and is part of the Department of Environment Change Campaign.

Posted on: 08/09/08

ESAI are sorting the listserver, and are deleting duplicate/extinct email addresses. Please click "Yes" on the page below if you wish to remain connected to the ESAI listserver.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=I_2brOJgMNx1PW8VI38u9g3Q_3d_3d

ALL users that have not clicked this link by Friday 31st October 2008 will be removed from the listserver.

If you have any queries please contact Ivana ivana@esaiweb.org or Shirley Gallagher at 0868383759.

Posted on: 11/08/08

A review of the Invasive Species Ireland project is currently underway and a discussion and consultation paper has been placed on our website. (Download Review). This consultation is a key part of the review process and is an opportunity for partners and interested individuals to identify those actions and priorities that you consider to be important. Responses to the consultation paper can be submitted electronically in person at the stakeholder meetings (see below). The outputs from the consultation and the stakeholder meetings will be collated and presented for consideration at a conference in November.

The review is quite comprehensive so even if you don't wish to make a detailed submission it would be valuable if you could respond to the relevant questions in Part 1 and let us know what you are doing. If you wish to make additional submissions or raise any issues that have not been covered in this consultation paper, you can do so by email or telephone to Cathy Maguire on 0044 (0)28 90278330 or cathy@invasivespeciesireland.com.

Stakeholders meetings
Two stakeholder meetings are being held in early September to enable people to feed directly into the review of Invasive Species Ireland and the development of future options for invasive species management. You are encouraged to attend one of the two meetings where you will have the opportunity to express your views in person. The first meeting will be held on the 2nd of September in Lecture Theatre 1 of Queens University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast from 10 am - 1 pm. The second meeting will take place on the 4th of September at NPWS Headquarters at 7 Ely Place from 11 am - 2 pm.

Codes of Practice Consultation process extended
The consultation process for Recreational Water Users, Marina Operators and Aquaculture has been extended until Friday the 22nd of August. This will allow those who are returning from summer holidays to contribute their views. Please remember to fill in your views and also pass the following links to all interested parties as soon as possible.

Aquaculture:
http://www.invasivespeciesireland.com/codes_of_practice/aquaculture_COP.asp

Recreational Water Users:
http://www.invasivespeciesireland.com/codes_of_practice/wateruser_COP.asp

Marina Operators:
http://www.invasivespeciesireland.com/codes_of_practice/marina_COP.asp

National Biodiversity Data Centre
The National Biodiversity Data Centre are nearing completion of their interactive species distribution mapping website. This will provide users with an invaluable tool in mapping not only invasive alien species but all records submitted to them. Please remember to submit your records of non native species to www.invasivespeciesireland.com/sighting. Submit any native species dataset directly to the centre. We have had a sneak preview here at Invasive Species Ireland and eagerly await its launch in the near future.

Pond plants
Ornamental pond plants increasingly becoming established in the wild with damaging consequences as demonstrated by the Lagarosiphon major invasion of Lough Corrib. In order to assess the scale of the potential problem, better records are needed on invasive pond plant distributions. If you are out and about this summer, have a look in your local ponds in parks and gardens to see what is growing and please report it to the Alien Watch page on the website. Download the Field Guide to help you identify some of our most unwanted invasive species.

Species alerts
If you are out and about this summer, remember to keep an eye out for some of our most unwanted species. You may encounter these species while out for a walk, fishing, boating, doing fieldwork or generally visiting the countryside. Remember to report all sightings to the Alien Watch page and that we are interested in sightings from not only the natural environment but also sites such as ponds, canals and gardens. Always try to record a 6 figure grid reference and submit any photos to the website. See the Most Unwanted section of the website for more details on each of these species,

Muntjac deer: There have been more sightings of muntjac deer in the Wicklow area. Please look out for this species when driving and also have a look for tracks and signs if you are walking along forest paths. This is one of our most unwanted species. It is currently unclear if this is a number of escaped individuals or if the species is at an early stage of becoming established in Ireland. Muntjac deer have the potential to significantly change our native forest floral and faunal communities and causing a reduction or loss of many of our species including the much loved native bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta.

Invasive mammals on islands: if you are visiting inshore and offshore islands this summer keep your eyes peeled for invasive predatory mammals such as rats, mink and feral cats. Report all your sightings to the website.

Predatory flatworms: Predatory flatworms may have a significant impact on the ecology of Ireland's soil. If you are gardening this summer or out in the countryside, please check for this species. Have a look under stones and sheets of plastic. Check for eggs in garden materials you are moving and remember to follow best practice quarantine procedures, as identified in the Horticulture Code of Practice, when bringing plants into your garden.

Brown hare: The brown hare is a non native species to Ireland. It is known in the wild in County Tyrone. Elsewhere in Europe, it has out competed mountain hares. The Irish hare is a sub species of the mountain hare. Please keep an eye out for this species and report all sightings. Also, if you know of anyone introducing this species, make them aware of the potential threat to our native and endemic hare.

Ruddy ducks: Birdwatchers are asked to report all their sightings of ruddy ducks to not only their usual reporting avenue but also to the Alien Watch page. This species threatens the endangered white-head duck in Europe and is ranked as one of our most unwanted species.

Chinese mitten crab: Chinese mitten crabs have been recorded in the Waterford area. You may spot this species if you are out and about along rivers in the area. They are known to take bait from fishing lines. Report all sightings and do not return any specimens caught to the river.

Chub: Chub are currently known in the River Inny in Ireland. If you see this species anywhere in Ireland report your sightings to the Alien Watch page.

Carp species: The distribution of non native carp in Ireland is currently unclear. Should you catch any carp species in a river system please report it.

Zebra mussels: This species continues to expand its range in Ireland. Keep a look out for zebra mussels on piers, docks, boats and equipment in all lake systems in Ireland. Please report your sightings even if you think it has already been recorded from the area.

Didemnum species: This species can have significant impacts on native ecosystems. If you are out boating this summer or happen to be visiting an aquaculture installation please have a look for Didemnum species. Remember, there are look-a-like natives so try to take a photo to aid identification.

Invasive Species Photo Library
The Invasive Species Ireland project would like to invite you to submit your photographs of invasive species for inclusion in our Photo Library. This library will be an online facility with open access to photos for people working on education and awareness raising initiatives in Ireland and elsewhere. If you have any photos and are willing to provide these, fee free, please email john@invasivespeciesireland.com.

Events
If you are holding an event relating to invasive alien species and would like to advertise this through our mailing list and website please email john@invasivespeciesireland.com. Also, consider contacting us directly about materials we can provide to help make your event a success.

Case studies
If you have worked on or are working on invasive alien species issues and would like to write a case study for inclusion on the website please email john@invasivespeciesireland.com with details.

Best wishes,
John and Cathy

--

John Kelly
Invasive Species Ireland
10 Upper Crescent
Belfast BT7 1NT

Tel: +44 (0) 28 9027 8330
Direct: +44 (0) 28 9031 6987
Fax: +44 (0) 28 9027 8334
Website: www.invasivespeciesireland.com

Posted on: 22/07/08

River Basin Management Planning - A Practical Guide for Local Authorities has been published by the Water Quality Section of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. This publication was produced in accordance with Regulation 4(3) of the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No. 722 of 2003).

The document is available for download on the ESAI River Basin District Page or by clicking the following link River Basin Planning Guidance Document.

Posted on: 26/06/08

The summer issue of the ESAI newsletter Environews is now available. Click here to download the PDF.

Posted on: 19/05/08

Student presenters from Environ 2008 are invited to submit their papers for publication. Closing date if June 17th at 5pm, copyright forms, instructions to authors and sample papers are available on our colloquia / workshop page.

Posted on: 15/05/08

ESAI are delighted to announce that we will be running a joint ESAI-RPS 2008 summer studentship. The project centres around the extraction of data on the brown bin waste collection systems in operation and applications are invited from all fourth level students. The project will run for two months and be based in the RPS office in Dublin. Payment will be €1,500/month and CVs and enquiries should be submitted to Sinead Macken ESAI Administrator; Stonehaven, Moy Road, Kinvara, Co. Galway or administrator@esaiweb.org.

The closing date for applications is Friday May 30th. Click here for further details.

Posted on: 15/05/08

The ESAI invites entries from interested individuals to participate in the third ESAI photography competition. The theme for the competition is "Human Impact on Nature in Ireland". Entries are welcome from all amateur photographers and will be assessed on the basis of picture quality, composition and the appropriateness of the caption.

Click here for entry forms and conditions. The best three images will be published in the Local Planet Magazine (www.localplanet.ie)

First prize will be a €250 voucher for www.pixels.ie (sponsored by the Environmental Research Institute, UCC), a years membership of ESAI and. professional framing of the winning entry by Framework, Knockvicar, Boyle, Co Roscommon. The two runners up will each receive a year's membership of ESAI.

Entry is now open and closing date is Friday Sept. 26th, 2008. The winner will be notified in October, 2008.

Posted on: 03/04/08

The Irish Environmental Protection Agency under their Climate Change Research Programme has published a call for Climate Change research fellowships on the website (www.epa.ie/research) on the 28th March. The deadline for applications is Thursday 8th May. A further call for research projects will be published in April aimed mainly at socio-economics issues.

The Cimate Change Rresearch Programme covers the science of climate change, notably GHG emissions, sinks and mitigation, Impacts and Adaptation, Socio-economics, Technologies and Trans boundary air pollution.

I would be grateful if you could forward the above notice to colleagues/students who might be interested in this opportunity. The attached advertisment could be place on noticeboards/bulletins if appropriate.

The contact for this call, should you have any queries, is Mr. Ger Hussey, at climateresearch@epa.ie or Tel +353 (0)1 2680121

ESAI field trips are gaining popularity with our members and this year our our third field trip will take place on 16th / 17th of May to Armagh. On Friday we will visit the Armagh Observatory www.arm.ac.uk which boasts a long met series and astronomical work which includes solar, planetary and stellar studies. Whilst at the Observatory, we shall learn something of the climate research work carried out here over recent years, including work on trends and cycles in the various climate series, links between tree growth rates and climate and solar/cosmic ray influences on clouds. On the same site is the Astropark and the new phenology garden as well as the Planetarium. We will then move further afield to the Peatlands Park www.ehsni.gov.uk/peatlands.shtml where we shall be given a guided tour of the more accessible parts of the park with an emphasis on the restoration and maintenance regime. The Craigavon Lakes, Strangford Lough and the Portaferry Aquarium plus various arboretums are also nearby. A guided hike will take place on Saturday through forest and mountain lands of Tollymore Forest Park www.tollymore.com/Tollymore which boast exceptional views of the adjacent the Mourne Mountains.

Click here for more information (.doc 33Kb)
Click here for an application form (.doc 24Kb)

All members are invited to attend but please confirm your interest by email to Vincent Carragher (vincent.carragher@ul.ie) and / or John Butler (cjb@arm.ac.uk).

International Association of Hydrogeologists Irish Group
28th Annual Conference
Groundwater: A Resource at Risk?
Tullamore Court Hotel, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
Tuesday 22nd & Wednesday 23rd April, 2008

Who Should Attend?
It is expected that these topical issues will be of great interest to local authority engineers and scientists, planning officials, environmental scientists, public health officials, consultants, architects and hydrogeologists.

The Business of Climate Change
Adapting to our changing risk climate

Monday, 7th April 2008, 2.00pm - 4.15pm
William J Clinton Auditorium, UCD Belfield, Dublin 4

The latest OECD Environment Outlook to 2030 states that "Ambitious policy actions to protect the environment can increase the efficiency of the economy and reduce health costs. In the long term, the benefits of early action on many environmental challenges are likely to outweigh the costs."

You will learn:
 

How the global risk management message can be communicated effectively for the 21st Century  

The "Green" aspects of corporate social responsibility  

An understanding of carbon credits  

Practical ways that your business can reduce its carbon footprint starting from today

Content & Speakers
   TIME - TOPIC - SPEAKER  

13.30 to 14.00 - REGISTRATION & REFRESHMENTS  

14.00 to 14.10 - INTRODUCTION - Alan McGilton; CEO, IGRC  

14.10 to 15.10 - EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OF RISK MANAGEMENT IN 21ST CENTURY
     - Professor Ragnar Lofstedt; Director, Kings Centre for Risk Management, Kings College London  

15.10 to 16.15 - HOW BUSINESS CAN MAKE AN IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE
     - Conor O'Riain; Carbon Neutral Concrete; Ecocem Ireland  

16.15 CLOSE

Who Should Attend?
- Business Owners
- Corporate Social Responsibility Managers
- Managing Directors
- Industry Consultants
- Directors of Risk
- Accountants
- Compliance Managers
- Marketing Managers
- Finance Directors
- HR Managers

Download pdf Flyer (120Kb)

Contact:
INSTITUTE OF GOVERNANCE, RISK AND COMPLIANCE LTD,
Event Management International,
NovaUCD,
Belfield,
Dublin 4,
Ireland.

e-mail: info@eventmanagementinternational.ie
phone: +353 1 716 3668 (direct line)
fax: +353 1 716 3675

Posted on: 05/06/08

Environ2008 was held in Dundalk IT in February. It was a well-organised, well-attended event, for which ESAI would like to thank the local committee for a job well done especially Dr. Suzanne Linnane and Siobhan Jordan. Our thanks to the keynote speakers, Duncan Stewart and Dr. Ken Irvine of TCD. The winning student presentations chosen by the ESAI were as follows:

Best Overall Oral Presentation went to Heather Lally, NUI Galway for her talk "Lake Creation - A major post-harvesting land-use option for wildlife conservation on used industrial Irish peatlands."

Best Overall Poster Presentation was awarded to Mary Garvey, Athlone IT with her poster entitled "Pulsed UV light inactivation of Cryptosporidium spp. oocyts in drinking water supplies in Ireland."

Best Forestry Oral Presentation was presented to Howard Fox, TCD for his talk on "Ground Epiphyte diversity in native and plantation forests."

Best Forestry Poster Presentation was given to Rebecca Martin, UCC with her poster entitled "Assessing the biodiversity of canopy arthropods in a range of forest types".

Finally Best Soils Presentation went to Samuel Dennis, Teagasc for his talk on "Nitrous oxide emission from soils reduced using DCD nitrification inhibitor."

Our sponsorship for prizes was at an all time high this year with €1,250 to present to students. Many thanks to the continued support from our sponsors COFORD and the Soil Science Society of Ireland.

The ESAI hosted a very well attended AGM at our recent Environ 2008 Colloquium held in Dundalk IT, Feb 1st-3rd. In 2007 the ESAI began to formulate a new strategy for the organisation for the coming years and revised our aims which were adopted at the AGM. A questionnaire for members has also been formulated to find out more about our members needs and expectations. If you would like to find out more, the minutes of the AGM are available to download here and on the council page.

ESAI photocompetition 2007 prize winner Conor McGovern collected his prize of €250 (sponsored by ERI) for his entry Who is looking at who?

The Schedule of Events for the Irish Waste Water Environment Water Framework Conference 08 is now available to download here and on the Colloquia Page.

The seminar programme at IWWE 2008 is hosted by ESAI in conjunction with EnviroSkillnet.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr. Micheál Martin T.D., officially launched an innovative environmental training network, EnviroSkillnet, at the Lewis Glucksman Gallery at University College Cork on Friday, February 22nd 2008. Having successfully secured funding in excess of €600,000, from member companies and the Training Networks Programme, EnviroSkillnet plans to facilitate enterprise-led training for environmental consultants in Ireland, initially focusing on the areas of technical skills, legislation and information technology.

Commenting on the benefits of EnviroSkillnet, Dr. Shirley Gallagher, its Network Manager said "the cost of training can be incredibly high because of the specialised nature. Dedicated training is required because of the range of skills required to carry out environmental assessments as well as the need to maintain continuing professional development for environmental practitioners. We plan a diverse training programme to cover the needs of our diverse customers". Some of the training will include sea survival, identification of animal and plant groups through to noise monitoring. Tendering for courses will take place by month end.

Founding members of EnviroSkillnet identified specific areas where environmental training is required in a training gap analysis last year. Over thirty companies have already joined EnviroSkillnet. Dr. Gallagher encourages more firms to sign up to the network saying "smaller companies and sole traders in particular who find it difficult to fund training should join us and enjoy the benefits of expert led training at 20% of the cost". Skillnets funding is a government tool which enables private industry to work together to increase productivity and improve standards. The aim of Skillnets is to enhance the skills of people in Irish industry in order to support competitiveness and employability.

Other dignitaries included the President of UCC, Dr. Michael Murphy, and Skillnets CEO, Mr. Alan Nuzum. Member companies were well represented including Dr Lesley Lewis, Limosa Environmental and EnviroSkillnet Director, an expert on estuarine ecosystems and wading birds. Having recently worked on the production of biodiversity action plans (BAP) for a number of local authorities including County Cork, Lesley believes that continued training and updating of knowledge is essential to meet the demands and challenges of ecological assessment. Conor Kelleher is the secretary of EnviroSkillnet, Aardwolf Wildlife Survey and Chairperson of the Irish Wildlife Trust. Conor stated "It is important to keep abreast of new developments in one's chosen field of work and it would be better to have training for such in Ireland dealing with local issues and Irish habitats, wildlife etc." Many of the government bodies who commission environmental consultants were also represented including local authorities. Other bodies included the National Roads Authority (NRA), National Parks and Wildlife Service and Teagasc as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Universities and colleges were represented, Dr Fidelma Butler, University College Cork is the chairperson of EnviroSkillnet, having initiated project with the Network Manager, Dr Shirley Gallagher in March 2007. Her colleagues included Professor John O'Halloran and Professor Alan Dobson, Director of the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) at UCC as well as the President Dr Michael Murphy. Cork and Waterford's Institutes of Technology were represented as well as specific training companies such as GPS Ireland. Other networking bodies were represented including Engineers and Cork Biznet Skillnets. There are plans to collaborate in future with EnviroSkillnet for members benefit. The current exhibition of work by Andy Warhol gave an artistic flavor to the proceedings.

The Winter 2007 edition of Environews is now available by clicking on the Environews archive link below.

Many thanks to Dundalk IT for a wonderful Environ 2008.

As part of the DKTalk programme podcasts of some of the talks are available for download at http://ww2.dkit.ie/about_dkit/podcasts/dkitalk/environ_2008.

You'll find............

• Duncan Stewart Keynote Lecture
• Minister Dermot Aherns Launch
• Dr. Ken Irvine linking research and policy
• Dr. Suzanne Linnane Freshwater Centre
• Dr. Lisa Sheils EPA Strive Programme
• Jim O'Donohoe discusses Septic Tanks

The proceedings of the Environ 2006 conference are now available below and on our colloquia page.

The IWWE on 5-6th March 2008 will see the launch of the Innovation Lounge – a unique opportunity for universities and research centres to introduce their latest research projects to industry, the public sector and the press. Environmental research projects will be displayed with the help of posters in a lounge area which provides a comfortable surrounding to discuss them with interested parties. Whether you want to find an industrial sponsor or partner, make the industry aware of your work or discuss your project with other researchers, this is the ideal platform to do so. The poster display is free of charge for universities and research centres, but the poster has to be produced by you.

By agreeing to display your poster within the Innovation Lounge, we agree to:

• Provide display space for a poster (size 700mm wide x 1000mm high) at IWWE & IRWM 2008
  
• Provide limited display space for additional information material on one of the literature racks in the Innovation Lounge
  
• Market your participation in the Innovation Lounge on the show website www.environment-ireland.com and in the show catalogue
  

In return, you agree to:

• Design and produce a high quality poster outlining your research project. The poster stays in your possession and can be taken back after the show. The poster has to be in the format 700mm wide x 1000mm high.
  
• Provide contact person in the Innovation Lounge throughout show opening hours to answer questions to the project as required
  
• Provide a 100 word description of the project you will display and the logo of your institute if possible for marketing purposes on the website and in the show catalogue
  

Download IWWE Agreement (pdf 140 Kb)

Please contact James Lamb on 1800 927 160 or +44 (0) 20 8651 7050 from outside of Ireland for more information and if you are interested in this unique opportunity.

Information on the upcoming Environ conference is now available on our Environ 2008 page.

The following link is to the current Environ 2008 page of the host college, DKIT:

www.environ2008.ie.

Using Modern Techniques to Refine Food Webs

My summer bursary 2007 took place in the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) in Cork, where I was supervised by Dr. Mark Emmerson of the University College Cork. It was sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Food webs are, essentially, models showing which animals interact by eating each other. They have long been used by Ecologists to help simplify and clarify interactions between animals and plants. By understanding these interactions and the 'strength' of these relative interactions (how much they eat each other); important relationships can be found. An example of such a relationship would be a 'trophic cascade' - where the loss of one species leads to the extinction of other species also, who are heavily reliant on them for food! Obviously, the more accurate these food web models are, the easier it will be to predict such events occurring.One method which is recently becoming more main-stream is that of stable isotope analysis. This analyses the chemistry of an animal's tissue, especially the levels of nitrogen and carbon. This analysis gives each animal/plant their personal chemical 'signature' - leading to knowledge of a creatures diet by measuring its chemical make up.

The project I worked on included using this stable isotope analysis to refine a previously constructed terrestrial food web. This was part of an ongoing PhD and took place in the Gearagh, a protected floodplain forest in Co. Cork. Work involved collecting, analysing and identifying samples - which were later sent off to be chemically analysed.



My thanks to the EPA for the sponsorship, Dr. Mark Emmerson for the guidance and the ERI for the use of the facilities. Also a special thanks to Orla McLoughlin and Chris Denis of the ERI for their help.

Niall Delaney, Applied Ecology Student, University College Cork.

For a more detailed report please visit the ESAI bursary page.

The ESAI invites entries from interested individuals to participate in the second ESAI photography competition. The theme for the competition is "Ireland - Nature & Wildlife". Entries are welcome all amateur photographers and will be assessed on the basis of picture quality, composition and the appropriateness of the caption.

Click here for entry forms and conditions. The first prize (sponsored by the Environmental Research Institute, UCC) will be a €250 voucher for www.pixels.ie. Entry is now open and closing date has been extended until Thursday October 25th, 2007. The winner will be notified in November, 2007.

The ESAI organized a field trip to Connemara on Friday May 25 2007; specific areas visited were Letterfrack and to its north east Leenaun.



Teagasc established several projects on its Hill Sheep Farm in Leenaun, Co. Mayo, to monitor the impact of grazing. The sites consist of upland and peatland. Ger Lynch started the day with a 90 minute walk around a hill farm near Leenane . Michael Walsh a senior researcher in teagasc also gave an overview of teagasc research work.

Ger researches with Teagasc and the objective of his study is to quantify the physical impact of hill sheep at low, medium and high levels of grazing by quantifying changes in micro soil erosion, plant cover and soil nutrient content over time. An important concern in agri-environmental management is the impact of grazing on soils and vegetation that receive no additional agricultural improvements and have a high erosion risk. Upland and peatland in western Ireland are particularly susceptible to erosion and are typically dominated by the habitats, blanket bog and wet heath. Both habitats are designated as Annex I-listed under the EU Habitats Directive and are thus recognised as important for conservation.

Methods to measure changes in micro-erosion and deformation of soil surface include rainfall detachment trays (constructed), Gerlough troughs, splash cups, micro-topographic pin profilers (designed) and reference marker pins. All the sites have been sampled for soil fertility analysis. There were no definite patterns in the initial results.

After lunch we moved onto Connemara national park for an afternoon walk with Ger O'Donnell, who described the unique flora and fauna of this beautiful landscape. Connemara National Park encompasses some 2,957 hectares of rugged quartzite and schist terrain of north Connemara, stretching from sea level at Letterfrack to some of the peaks of the Twelve Bens mountains. The landscape is mantled by blanket bog and wet heath vegetation with characteristic and varied wildlife.

Western blanket bog and heathland are the main vegetation types, and heathers including the unusual St. Dabeoc's Heath clothe many of the mountainsides. Purple Moor Grass grows in clumps in the bogs, and is responsible for the colour of the landscape throughout much of the year. Carnivorous plants such as Sundew and Butterwort trap insects with their leaves and digest them to gain nutrients, which are in short supply on the boggy land. Other common bog plants include Lousewort, Bog Cotton, Milkwort, Bog Asphodel, Bog Myrtle, and a variety of Orchids.

Birdlife in the area is varied, and includes Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Stonechats, Chaffinches, Robins and Wrens. The Kestrel is a fairly common bird of prey, whilst Sparrowhawk, Merlin and Peregrine are sometimes seen. Red Deer are currently being re-introduced, and a herd of the unique pure-bred Connemara ponies has also been established.

Connemara National Park have recently developed a walk with stunning views which winds around diamond hill. The group on completing this walk retired for refreshments in Letterfrack.

Details of the national park can be found at http://homepage.tinet.ie/%7Eknp/connemara/.

Following the Enviroskills meeting in Mount Juliet, Kilkenny on Tuesday 17th July 2007 and a number of 1-1 meetings, this questionnaire has been created to evaluate what we need in training terms for the next two years. Please click link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=7iTLkgl53RRLlZUcG9Mazw_3d_3d

In order to maximize our potential, it would benefit the Enviroskills network if you and all pertinent staff could complete this questionnaire (Completion time 3-10 minutes).

Memberships are now been taken for Enviroskills Network; please refer to website for appropriate fees. Next meeting to be held at the Kingsley Hotel, Victoria Cross, Cork on Thursday 30th August 2007, from 4-6pm. If you should have any queries please feel free to contact ESAI Chairperson Shirley Gallagher at shirleygallagher@eircom.net

Please click the following link to view photos of the recent ESAI walk undertaken in Connemara:

In order to involve as many people as possible in the review of the National Sustainable Development Strategy, COMHAR has asked the Centre for Sustainability, in conjunction with UCC Law Department, to organise two public consultation days: University College Cork, Monday 9th July 2007 (agenda) & Institute of Technology Sligo, Wednesday 11th July 2007 (agenda).

The first part of the event will be a series of short inspirational presentations to set the scene for the real work of the day. The second part will involve structured but informal discussions in small groups with the purpose of seeking answers to the following questions:

• Looking back over the last 10 years since the publication of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, what stands out for you as memorable highlights (successes) as well as the low points (failures)?
  
• What should a National Strategy for Sustainable Development offer to stakeholders and citizens?
  
• What are the simple and key messages that need to be in the Strategy and who should they be aimed at?
  
• What key elements will need to be addressed to ensure implementation and delivery of the strategy?
  

There is NO REGISTRATION FEE, but it is essential that you book in advance (registration form) to enable an appropriate room to be set up and sufficient refreshments to be provided. Contact: Michael Ewing, 071-9155414, Ewing.michael@itsligo.ie

Dear Researchers,

I will be speaking at a seminar on the 21st of June regarding Cryptosporidium and measures being used in the UK with particle counters. My presentation will show how particle counters can be used to monitor micron sized particles coming through membrane or gravity sand filters in an attempt to locate Oocysts of sizes 5-7 microns.

This is already being done in Scotland and parts of the UK. Filter efficiency is vital in keeping Crypto at bay, turbidity monitors cannot see this specific data, therefore the particle counter is used is unison with the turbidity monitor to measure lower than> 0.15 NTU+

For those who wish to attend, I will see you there.

If you require further information on the particle counter or other water/gas monitors, please e-mail tristen.preger@atiuk.com.

I look forward to seeing you at the seminar.

Regards,

Tristen Preger.

Dear Researchers,
I am conducting a national survey of science communication as part of my work with Charlie Spillane's research team in UCC. This study examines the views of all scientists, engineers and researchers (PIs, postdocs, postgrads etc) in Ireland on current and future science communication practices in Ireland and is based on a similar survey conducted recently by the Royal Society in UK. We are conducting the survey in collaboration with the Royal Irish Academy as they are the equivalent body here in Ireland.

The study will comprise a web-based survey and telephone interviews with researchers in Ireland with the ultimate aim of providing evidence to funding bodies, universities and other research institutions on which they can base a workable system to encourage and reward researchers for their efforts to communicate science. The deadline for the completion of the survey is May 31st.

I am in the dissemination phase currently and hhave sent the survey to the various research institutes, Universities, funding agencies etc. and requested that they distribute the email invite. If you have received this email invite, then please take 20 minutes to fill in your responses. If you have not received the email invite then please contact me directly at catherine.omahony@ucc.ie.

Kind regards,
Catherine O Mahony,
IRCHSS Research Associate (Science Communication),
Genetics & Biotechnology Lab,
Biochemistry Dept & Biosciences Institute,
UCC, Cork

The 1st International Symposim on Nematodes as Environmental Bioindicators will be hosted by the Association of Applied Biologists (www.aab.org.uk) and takes place at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK, on the 12-13 June 2007.

For more information visit the AAB website or contact Thomaé Kakouli-Duarte (thomae.kakouli@itcarlow.ie), Michael Wilson (m.j.wilson@abdn.ac.uk), or Carol Millman (Carol@aab.org.uk)

Due to the popularity of the Burren Field Trip for ESAI members last September the ESAI will host a return to the outdoors this time in Connemara on Friday May 25^th. The trip will incorporate guided walks taking in a variety of topics...the impacts of sheep grazing in upland and peatland habitats, an overview of Teagascs research work in the area, flora and fauna of the Connemara National Park. Our guides for the day will be Gery Lynch and Michael Walsh from Teagasc and Ger O'Donnell from the Connemara National Park.

All members are invited to attend, click here for further information on the days events.

Contact vincent.carragher@ul.ie or donna.kilmartin@nuigalway.ie to register interest.

The ESAI invite all our members to participate in the second ESAI photography competition. The theme for the competition is "Ireland - Nature & Wildlife". Entries are welcome from both amateur and professionals and will be assessed on the basis of picture quality, composition and the appropriateness of the caption.

Click here for entry forms and conditions. The first prize (sponsored by the Environmental Research Institute, UCC) will be a €250 voucher for www.pixels.ie. Entry is now open and closing date is Friday Sept. 28^th, 2007. The winner will be notified in October, 2007.

The ESAI have become a member of PARN and will be represented by the ESAI Chairman at the upcoming "Building Sustainable Organisations (Successful Strategies for Professional Associations)" conference on Thursday 15th March.

The ESAI ran a very successful field trip to the Burren in September 2006. To find out more about our day out read the attached article from Maria Long who is carrying out a PhD with TCD based on the Burren.

Due to popular demand the trip will be hosted again in May 2007 and all members will be contacted via email with further details.

Applicants for the ESAI Student Summer Bursary 2007 EPA sponsored scheme are invited to submit proposals by 9th March, 2007 see the ESAI Bursary webpage for more details.

Student presenters from Environ 2007 are invited to submit their papers for publication. Closing date is March 9th at 5pm, copyright forms, instructions to authors and sample papers are available on our colloquia/workshop page.

The ESAI hosted a very well attended AGM at our recent Environ 2007 Colloquium in Carlow IT, Jan 27-28th. Feedback from our ESAI EPA Student Summary Bursary prize winner Shijie Li from University of Coleraine was well received. ESAI photography prize winner Jenni Roche from TCD picked up her voucher for the pixmania website with her winning entry "The Return of the Native" (below).

It has been a busy year for the ESAI, and a vote was carried to double fees in 2008 to cover running costs. If you would like to know more the minutes are available for you to view.

Full page and half-page advertising space in a quality A5 brochure is still available at costs of €500 and €350 respectively which will cover all aspects of seminar.

The seminar will be held at IRWM & IWWE, on the 7-8 March 2007, at RDS Dublin. For further details www.environment-ireland.com

Day 1: Potable water, metering, water loss & distribution systems (pdf)

Day 2: Sewage treatment plants, optimization of process & control (pdf)

The aim of this Seminar is to bring together all areas of water resource management to acquire and disseminate new knowledge including identifying pharmaceutical products in waste effluent to optimization of automation control. The Conference will provide opportunities to objectively address the adverse risks and beneficial opportunities that are arising in these times of increasingly rapid change.

In 2006, IWWE and IRWM attracted over 2,000 high profile visitors. The seminars are on a first come first served basis to visitors to the exhibition. There are limited delegate spaces available. The programme can be accessed from website, alternatively I can forward as an attachment.

Minister for the Environment, Mr. Dick Roche will open the exhibition and media attention will be guaranteed. A quality A5 brochure will be produced for the Conference and full page and half-page advertising spaces will be available at costs of €500 and €350 respectively.

CRITICAL DATES for your Diary

Submit Advert for Brochure - 5th February 2007
Attend Conference - 7th-8th March 2007

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Kind Regards,

Dr Shirley Gallagher,

ESAI Conference Coordinator.

From over 100 talks and presentations at the recent Environ 2007 colloquium hosted by Carlow IT, Jan 27-28th we chose five student winners were chosen. Siobhan Dorai-Raj from NUI Galway won the ESAI Best Poster Presentation, another NUIG student Rory McKeown won the ESAI Best Oral Presentation. COFORD sponsored two prizes in the forestry category and they were picked up by Andrew Keppel from Tegasc for Best Poster Presentation and David Walmsley from UCD for Best Oral Presentation. All students took home €250 in prize money and will be submitting a short article regarding their projects to our website in the near future. A further student was awarded €200 from the Irish Soil Science Association, details to follow shortly.

The Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland (ESAI) in association with the Institute of Technology, Carlow, are pleased to announce the 17th Environ Colloquium on January 26th 2007. The conference will be structured into technical presentations in parallel sessions as well as poster presentations. The colloquium is an ideal forum for postgraduate students to present and discuss their research findings and ongoing projects.

Both poster and oral presentation abstracts are now invited. Please submit abstracts and complete our online registration form, by November 10th 2006.

Further information, as well as abstract and registration details are available on www.environ2007.ie

The aim of the UREKA programme is to promote and support undergraduate involvement in research. In 2007 SFI will fund UREKA Supplements for individual students and UREKA Sites for groups of students. In additional, existing UREKA Sites can apply for funding to establish an International Exchange Programme.

Closing date for UREKA Sites: 13:00 Friday 3rd November 2006

Closing date for UREKA Supplements: 13:00 Wednesday 21st February 2007

Further information on this new programme can be found by clicking here

Please find below the Autumn programme of events for the Sensors for Water Interest Group. For more information on any of the events please click on the relevant link.

07 September - Optocem.net road mapping workshop
Aberdeen
http://www.swig.org.uk/Programme.pdf

20 September - MCERTS Appreciation Course
The Chorley Conference Centre
http://www.swigorg.uk/MCERTS_Leaflet_Aug06.pdf

28 September - Annual General Meeting
The Bretby Conference Centre
Agenda to be posted on the web-site shortly

28 September - Odour detection & control
The Bretby Conference Centre - Workshop follows AGM
http://www.swig.org.uk/OdourControl_Lflt.pdf

19 October - Implications of unmanned works
The Chorley Conference Centre
http://www.swig.org.uk/ImplUnmndWrks_lflt.pdf

1 & 2 November - WWEM: Modernising regulation - MCERTS, OMA, WITS and all that!
The Telford International Centre
http://www.swig.org.uk/WWEM_06_Lflt_Final.pdf

23 November - The need for new sensors
The National Memorial Arboretum
http://www.swig.org.uk/NeedForNewSensors_lflt.pdf

If you wish to attend any or all of these (except WWEM & Optocem.net) events please do so by using the on-line booking form at www.swig.org.uk > Future Events > Booking Form or by contacting me directly. Please note registrations for WWEM and optocem.net should be made via the organisers by following the website instructions.

Best wishes

Stuart Newstead
SWIG Secretary
Email: newsteads@aol.com
Tel/Fax: 0044 (0) 15242 71461

The ESAI will host a one day field trip to the Burren on Friday September 1st. The trip will incorporate guided walks and illustrated talks looking at the variety of habitats in the Barren. Our guides for the day will be Prof. Richard Moles of University of Limerick and Brendan Dunford, Project Manager of the BurrenLIFE project. All members are invited to attend, click here for further information on the days events.

Contact administrator@esaiweb.org to register interest (please enclose a telephone number).

Information on: protected/rare species; carbon sequestration; forest biodiversity; water quality; Water Framework Directive; and many other practical issues. For whom?: private contractors and growers; consultants; Forest Service personnel; staff of Coillte; and staff of National, Parks & Wildlife Service.

Lively debate (!) allows people to make valuable personal contacts between organisations. The next cycle begins in August 2006. Dates : Aug 28,29,30, Sept 5,6,7 and for a similar period in April 2007. There is funding available for the coming cycle to significantly subsidise fees for a number of participants.

Please contact Fidelma Butler: Tel +353 (0)21 4904648 or Email f.butler@ucc.ie

The ESAI invite all our members to participate in our first photography competition. The theme for the competition is 'Ireland's Environment'. Entries are welcome from both amateurs and professionals and will be assessed on the basis of picture quality, composition and the appropriateness of the caption.

Click here for the entry form and conditions. First prize will be a €100 voucher for www.pixels.ie. Entry is now open and closing date is Friday Sept. 29th. The winner will be notified in October.

The EPA are hosting a ‘Waste and Resource Management Research Workshop’ on 7th June 2006 in Portlaoise. This Research Workshop will consist of a showcase of recent research in the area of Waste and Resource Management and discussion and identification of future research needs.

This workshop will be of significant interest to all stakeholders in the waste industry including; third-level researchers and other research institutions, local authorities, waste stakeholder representative groups, waste regulators, waste and resource management consultants, and waste infrastructure operators.

Information relating to the day (including the programme and registration instructions) can be found at http://www.epa.ie/EnvironmentalResearch/Events/WasteResourcesWorkshop/

The 4th annual Law and the Environment Conference is to be held at University College Cork on the 27th April 2006

For further details please download this .pdf file (1.1 Mb).

16th Annual Irish Environmental Research Colloquium will be held in University College Dublin.

Contact www.ucd.ie/environ2006 for further details.

Coastwatch is organising a series of seminars during 2005 & 2006. The 2nd seminar of one and a half days is on this Friday 11th and Saturday 12th November 2005.

Our DPP and Our Environment
Direct Public Participation in Environmental Protection and Management

Fri 11th Nov 2005 capacity building workshop and seminar
Sat 12th Nov 2005 half day fieldtrip

European Commission and Parliament Offices Conference Room, Dublin City Centre organised by Coastwatch Ireland and the European Environmental Bureau. Co-sponsorship by the Europe Commission and the French Government

Context:

Almost everyone could make a significant positive difference to wise use and protection of resources and help remove obstacles to good management, like outdated laws and poor law enforcement. But how often is this potential realised?

This seminar is to provide information and some training to help the many different parties in our society produce better environmental protection and management results.

The aim of this seminar is to:

• Provide clear information on EU institutions, EU policy, budgets and law which effect or may be applied to protect or help manage ourenvironment
  
• Present case studies involving Nature law, the water framework directive and planning to show why and how citizen can participate - from the largest elected body in Europe - the EP, or largest environmentalumbrella group like the EEB, right down to small resident groups and individuals.
• Explore good and bad practice in environmental management
  
• Facilitate action using the expertise of seminar participants, to tackle bad practice and to protect the environment

Participants: The seminar seeks to bring together Environmental NGOs, citizens and citizen representatives such as those standing for the new WFD Advisory Councils:

• Elected representatives
  
• MEPs, TDs and councillors
  
• Those in government, local authorities and other official bodies who have a role in environmental management
  
• Stakeholders in the coastal zone including land owners and fishermen
  
• Scientists, students and lawyers working on biodiversity, the WFD and environmental information/public participation

From 26 to 28 April 2006 the 2nd Renewable Energy in Maritime Climates Conference will be held at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin and we would like to cordially invite you and your colleagues to participate at this event.

The comprehensive Conference Programme will be attractive for experts and newcomers and it is anticipated to create a forum for science & research and for industry & business development in the Renewable Energy area. This Conference offers the unique possibility to present innovative results and ideas to a wide national and international audience.

All relevant information on the Conference subjects and submission of abstracts can be found at www.dit.ie/remic2 - Special rates are available to ISES, CIBSE and Irish Solar Energy Association members (Registration forms will soon be available on the website).

Authors, interested in presenting a paper, are welcome to submit their abstract by an EXTENDED deadline of 25th November 2005 to info@uk-ises.org or if you are interested in a Trade stand or sponsoring the event please contact me (sarah.gallagher@dit.ie)

We look forward to meeting you there.
Sincerely yours,
Dr Sarah Gallagher, Dublin Institute of Technology, Organising Committee Secretary

The Programme of Events for 2006 and photos of the launch are available to view at the link below.

View Programme of Events page.

Environmental Sampling has changed, increased and developed over the last number of years. This conference acknowledges these developments and the objective is to focus on current best practice and future improvements.

18th November 2005 in the Clarion Hotel, Cork

Visit the Conference Notice page for more information.

The first international conference on the importance of biodiversity to human health occurs in the Galway Radisson SAS Hotel , Galway, Ireland from the 23rd - 25th August 2005.

Download the COHAB call for abstracts pdf (293 kb)

Visit the COHAB 2005 website for more information at www.COHAB2005.com