Environmental Awareness Week

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS WEEK

22^nd February > 26^th February 2016

PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY

The theme of the week was BIODIVERSITY which is the An Taisce Green Schools Flag that the three schools on the campus are working to achieve in 2017.

Posters were displayed around the school promoting the Biodiversity theme and highlighting other important environmental issues such as Recycling.  St Patrick’s Hall was used to great effect with large banners and Greenbeard the Bird, the mascot for the week. The display cases were used to create a striking display about Biodiversity with birds of prey the impressive focal point.

The week was also a busy one for Guest Speakers who spoke about a range of Biodiversity issues.  These talks began on Tuesday morning when Laila Higgins, a Zoologist, gave a very interesting presentation on the theme of intertidal ecology to a group of 2^nd Year Science students.

This was followed in the afternoon by a fascinating lecture to Transition Year by Dr Jens Carlsson of U.C.D. Department of Environmental Science and Biology.  The title of his lecture was Area 52 and immediately grabbed attention which was maintained throughout, as he took us on a journey through deep sea exploration and research.  His deep water dive in the submersible Alvin which had discovered the wreck of the Titanic was an impressive story.

Ricky Whelan of BirdWatch Ireland provided a highly informative insight into urban birdlife on Thursday morning.  With the help of Dean Eaton and DLRCC the College Green Schools Committee has been working with Ricky on a number of biodiversity initiatives with a survey of Brent geese in the campus an important collaboration.  The final Speaker of the week was Dale Treadwell of Naturally Wild who gave a very entertaining talk on biodiversity and the importance of insects such as Butterflies.  Dale also presented 100 Alder Buckthorn trees to the College.  These will be planted in the grounds as part of a DLRCC Brimstone Butterfly Project to help the survival of this rare Butterfly.

This butterfly is not very common in Ireland.  It is a very attractive light lemon or yellow butterfly that has a rather pointed wing shape. It hibernates during the winter.  Some say that this butter-coloured insect was responsible for the name ‘butterfly’.

The week’s other major activity was a dendrochronology competition entitled ‘WHAT AGE AM I?  Students were invited to guess the age of a Horse Chestnut tree that was felled in December 2014.  The large section of this tree was an impressive sight near the College Reception.  This tree section will be part of a permanent display in the third term linking dendrochronology to history.

Many thanks to our Guest Speakers for their fascinating and thought-provoking presentations and to the Green Schools Committee, TY classes, Mr Cathal Copeland,

Ms Marie Kelly, Maintenance and Grounds Departments for helping to organise the Environmental Awareness Activities.  A special thank you to Dean Eaton and DLRCC for their support and encouragement.