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Wet, Wild and Wonderful Bogs and Fens Spring 2005

IPCC EVENING COURSE

Course: Bogs and fens are wetlands of stunning beauty, startling colours and spectacular wildlife. Explore the flora and fauna, habitats, archaeology and conservation of Ireland's bogs and fens on this special eye-opening course. Learn with the experts through an exciting programme of slide shows, practical workshops and field studies. A day long field trip will be include to three sites in the Irish Midlands to study bog formation from open water, through fen to raised bog. Transport included on the field trip.

Venue: UCD Adult Education Course, Botany Department, Room 1.09, University College Dublin

Co-ordinator:Dr Catherine O'Connell, Irish Peatland Conservation Council

Dates: starts in Spring term 2005 - 7 February - 14 March, every Tuesday 7.30-9.30pm (full details in the spring UCD Adult Education Programme 2005-2006) Field Trip: 11th March 10am-5pm

Price: Euro 180 for 6 lectures, 1 field excursion and information pack. Further details from UCD Adult Education Centre, Tel 01-7167123 or from adult.education@ucd.ie. Course Code HN207

Participants on the 2003 UCD Wet, Wild and Wonderful Bogland Course enjoying a soft Irish day at Pollardstown fen, County Kildare. In the the above are: Derek & Liz Crampton, Mary Daly, Stephen Lawless, Ryan Watt, Neilli Bacon, Mary Murphy, Pauline Hearne, Honor Smyth, John Riordan, Alan O'Dwyer, Brian O'Reilly, Valerie O'Brien, Marie Gough, Catherine O'Sullivan, Dave O'Connor, Vera Bowe, Mary Golden, Linda-Jane Kenny.

Session 1: 7 February Fens
Slide Show: Fen formation, classification, ecology, flora, fauna, threats and conservation.
Practical: Crafts using rushes.

Session 2: 14 February Raised Bogs
Slide Show: Raised bog formation, ecology, flora, fauna, restoration and conservation.
Practical: Make plant dials and use these to identify plants from the four main groups found on bogs: heathers, mosses, lichens and sedges.

Session 2: 21 February Blanket Bogs
Slide Show: Blanket bog formation, structure, ecology, flora, fauna, threats and conservation.
Practical: Sphagnum moss - the bog builder. Turf sods of many colours. Get to know bog wood. Models of bog formation.

Session 4: 28 February Treasures of the Bogs
Slide Show: An introduction to the preservative properties of bogs and peat, the treasures they contain and the amazing microscopic world of pollen they preserve, which have revealed so much about the development of Ireland since the last Ice Age 12,000 years ago.
Practical: Learn to identify the major pollen species and interpret 12,000 years of pollen history and associated changes in Irish vegetation.

Session 5: 7 March Cutaway Bogs
Slide Show: A review of the research carried out from the 1950's into the future use of the cutaway bogs. Focus on the three major economic options: forestry, grassland and amenity/wetland - their strengths and weaknesses.
Practical: learn to identify different plants found in cutaway bogs using keys.

Session 6: 11 March 10am-5pm Field Trip to Irish Midlands
Theme: Raised bog formation from open water, through fen to raised bog. Site visits to the Canal Feed near Naas; Pollardstown Fen and Mouds Raised Bog, Co. Kildare.

Session 7: 14 March For Peat's Sake Garden Without Peat
Slide Show: The gardening without peat campaign and its role in helping to save Irish bogs from development. Ways to reduce your dependence on peat.
Practical: Make a worm bin for composting organic kitchen waste. Samples of peat free products.

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If you would like to reserve you place on this evening course, please contact the Adult Education Centre, University College Dublin on Tel. 01-7167123

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