Wednesday 25th March 2009 8.00p.m. Cabragh Wetlands Education Centre.

The Cicada's 17 Year Sleep - Complexity and Emergence in the Natural World

Dr Declan Murphy
Have you ever wondered how a large flock of Starlings can fly and even negotiate complex manoeuvres without crashing into each other?

What do ant colonies, slime moulds and the teeming
streets of Victorian Manchester have in common? They are all
examples of complexity theory in action! Learn more about
this fascinating topic

Admission is free

SCHOOL TRIPS

Once again we are at the time of year when schools come to visit us here at Cabragh. Over the past two years we have had about two thousand school children enjoy the delights of nature at the wetlands. Our experience is that children respond enthusiastically to the delights of the natural world. They are stimulated and fulfilled in a way that only nature can evoke.
During a visit to Cabragh which lasts about two and a half hours children explore a number of different habitats.
The field trip starts with a 20 minute Power Point presentation during which the children are introduced to topics which they will later explore. We present information on the pond and pond life, the hedgerow, bird hide, stream and the wetlands in general.
After this presentation the children are taken on a tour of the various habitats to experience first hand the wonderful variety of plant and animal species, and how they all form a delicate and complex web of life. We divide the children into groups but each child has the opportunity to experience each habitat and partake in each activity. Always popular is the pond and the community of life that lives there. Children study the various insects in the viewing tanks and use charts to identify them. A walk through the wetland has beautifully illustrated information boards along the way.
All our activities are based on the primary science programme for primary schools. While the children enjoy a day at the wetland they are also fulfilling part of the school curriculum. The study area is confined and with the supervision of the school's staff it offers a safe environment for exploration of the natural world.
We believe that if we plant the love of nature in our children they will mature into adults who will care about our planet. Children may make follow up visits to the wetlands at any time. For safety reasons they must be supervised by an accompanying adult.

Come and help!

We are still frequently asked what the Cabragh Wetlands are, so for those of you still unsure, here is a quick overview of what the Trust is about.

Keen local amateur naturalists were aware that something catastrophic could be about to happen, when in the late 1980’s, the decision to close the Sugar Plant was taken. The settling ponds were a haven for a large number of birds, both native permanent residents and seasonal migrants from both the Arctic and Africa, and the flood plains around were well known for the range of plants and insects that flourished. It was feared that the habitat faced possible destruction, with housing estates or landfill mooted as potential “developments” for this unique ecosystem.

The settling ponds were lost, but the formation of the Cabragh Wetlands Trust, generous assistance from the Sugar Company and support from a variety of authorities (N. Tipp County Council, Shannon Development, Leader, Heritage Council, Tipperary Enterprise, FAS and others) enabled the Trust to purchase a few acres and work with local landowners to manage the larger wetland area in an ecologically sustainable way.

Conservation is the Trust’s raison d’etre, but we are in this for the long term, and the best way to ensure the permanent survival of this haven is to make it a community project, and to make recreation and education secondary priorities. So while we are committed to maintaining the wetlands ecosystem, water purity, healthy habitats and biodiversity, we are also establishing the Wetlands Centre as a forum to enhance public understanding of environmental issues, as a support for all levels of education through field studies courses and research and through public lectures and courses. We are doing what we can to promote both our natural and cultural heritage, and to encourage community involvement and recreation.

That’s a very broad brief, and one that needs support and involvement by a large number of people. If you want to help, come out and see us one morning, or call us on 0504-43879. The next Open Day will be on Saturday August 30^th during Heritage Week, but the walkways are almost always open for a quiet, contemplative, restorative stroll.