Biodiversity day

It is the International Day for Biological Diversity and Ireland has launched a National Biodiversity Mapping System which has been developed by the National Biodiversity Data Centre as a tool for the geographic presentation of observational data on Ireland's biological data. The database currently contains over 400,000 records of 3,721 species.

Taming the wild

There have been many articles describing the increase in foraging for wild plants as a result of the economic downturn. Now a new type of wild entrepreneur is emerging with some top restaurants and chefs paying around 50 pounds a kilo for the likes of wood sorrel. The Forestry Commission in Scotland estimate the annual value of wild foraging to be in the ball park area of 21 million pounds and are concerned that it might start to get out of hand. They have launched a campaign to promote a code of practice for foragers as a first step to address this.

Plant it again Sam

Plans are underway for reforestation with native trees in selected areas up north, and Environment Minister Wilson (our very own climate change denier) was called in to plant the very first tree. Celebrities must be taking their summer holidays early. The first replanting will take place close to Derry.

Over-consumers, and unfortunately over here!

Over-consumption. Two sides of the same coin. We ought to treat them like royalty.

Later...and that man who wishes to charge one euro everytime we goo to the loo in mid-air is milking the CAP subsidy scheme.

Happening Thang

The Real Food Festival is happening again at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre from 8-10 May.

Where have all the butterflies gone?

Asks Patrick Barkham in today's Guardian. I was asking myself the exact same question yesterday morning on a stroll through the Parco Appia Antica. I saw two in a massive park brimming with spring flowers. What I did see a bit more of was somewild plant foraging by a more common species.

Orchard erosion

Sixty percent of England's traditional orchards have disappeared since the 1950s according to the National Trust with many rare varieties of fruit - some unique to localities - under threat. I am sure it is much the same story in Ireland. All the more reason for initiatives like the 400 Fruit Trees Project. For more on apple diversity and apples in Ireland read here.

Few days later....more on the vanishing orchards from the Guardian, along with some interesting links.