02 / NEWS OFFSET YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT USING ENRICH COMPOST Composting is the circular economy in action. Organic materials are recovered at source from parks and gardens. Without this segregation, these organic materials may go to landfill where they would produce greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as methane. As a GHG, methane is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Enrich compost is a sustainable soil improver, it offsets the use of finite artificial fertilisers and peat. So, the act of composting is, in itself, reducing the release of GHGs. During the composting process bacteria and fungi in the compost pile transform the organic matter into complex stable organic matter, often referred to as humus. Biologically stable compost contains approximately 200kg of stable organic matter per tonne. Carbon makes up 58% of this organic matter. Therefore, every tonne of Enrich compost used in your project sequesters up to 400 kg (0.4 tonnes) of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents. The average carbon footprint of an Irish person is 13t of CO2 per year. Visit www.enrich.ie. ✽
VEGETABLE PATCH USING ENRICH COMPOST
BLENDED LEARNING PLANT PROPAGATION COURSE AT TEAGASC The COVID 19 pandemic situation is driving new ways of doing things in education. June saw the commencement of blended learning modules for Teagasc College with the start of their Level 5 Plant Propagation Summer Course. This involves delivery through live Zoom
and recorded lectures, which are made available to the class through their virtual learning environment MOODLE. There are 30 students taking two modules this summer in Plant Propagation and Garden Design. The college’s recruitment is taking place in earnest at the moment and September numbers look strong. The training delivery will be blended and the college hopes to have theory classes replaced by online options. The practical aspects of Horticulture will be done in small, targeted, socially-distanced groups with relevant PPE in widespread use in both The Botanics and Teagasc Ashtown. ✽
A NEW HORIZON FOR HORTICULTURE AT UCD As the incidence of Covid-19 disease in the country continues to diminish the number of track and trace centres required have been reduced. As a consequence horticulture students from UCD who had been involved in contact tracing and processing samples for Covid-19 testing have finished these duties. Students have now taken up professional work experience placements in the horticulture food sector and in the amenity sector, in garden centres and in the landscape construction/maintenance industry, under
strict social distancing and hygiene guidelines. Horticulture academic staff have completed assessment and grading, and plans are underway for September, to ensure that students have as close to a traditional university education experience as possible. Our students will have a blended educational experience with some lectures online with face-to-face tutorials and practicals. Those students who are considering attending university in September should continue with their plans. ✽
WILD WETLAND WORK AT FH WETLAND SYSTEMS FH Wetland Systems started out designing reed beds and treatment wetlands in 1996, but have evolved to become involved in a whole variety of new wetland habitat projects. These include the Living River Project designs for Tullamore; the new management plan for Westfields Wetland in Limerick; and smaller projects for community groups from Cork to Cavan and many counties in between. Each new protected habitat space is part of a growing
corridor for bees, bats and a host of native wildlife. Wetlands and wild spaces have long been shoved aside for housing developments, agriculture, roads and almost any other project that comes along - at great cost to these valuable habitats and the wildlife living there. In recent years, however, things seem to be changing for the better. Interest and funding are growing for rewilding, wetland protection and management projects. See www.wetlandsystems.ie for more info. ✽
Summer 2020 / www.horticultureconnected.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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