Ireland Zoë Popper
National University of Ireland, Galway,
Botany and Plant Science,
Plant and AgriBiosciences,
University Road,
Galway, Ireland
Ph 00353 91 49 54 31
zoe.popper@nuigalway.ie
fascinatingplants@nuigalway.ie
http://fascinationofplants.blogspot.com/

Ireland

The first international "Fascination of Plants Day" will be launched under the umbrella of the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO). The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture, in sustainably producing food, as well as for horticulture, forestry, and all of the non-food products such as paper, timber, chemicals, energy, and pharmaceuticals. The role of plants in environmental conservation will also be a key message.

Everybody is welcome to join this initiative!

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We invite you to organize for the 18th of May 2012 a fascinating activity related to plants attracting and interacting with the public. Just contact your National Coordinator Zoë Popper zoe.popper@nuigalway.ie or the EPSO Coordinator Jan-Wolfhard Kellmann jkellmann@ice.mpg.de to discuss and get access and guidelines for using the Fascination of Plants Day corporate design. We invite many others to join, ranging from schools to horticulture and anyone who feels to have a suited contribution to this initiative. Many plant science institutions, universities, botanical gardens, and museums, together with farmers and companies, have already announced that they will open their doors, with a variety of plant-based events for all the family. Also, the media are invited to join in, and scientists, farmers, politicians and industrialists will discuss with them and present the latest state-of-the-art research and breakthroughs in the plant science world and explore all of the new potential applications plant science can offer.

The Fascination of Plants Day will be backed up by a range of events in public spaces, theatres, cafes, central city squares and parks designed to get everyone thinking about plants.

Plants are fascinating. From one little seed, planted into soil, many green lives can arise - from small herbs up to big trees, or from ornamental flowers to substantial crops which all animals and mankind need to survive on this planet. Plant biologists estimate the total number of plant species roughly to be about 250,000. On the back of this coordinated activity we hope to plant many virtual and constantly germinating seeds in the collective mind of the European and World Public that plant science is of critical significance to the social and environmental landscape now and into the future.

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These institutions will take part at the Fascination of Plants Day. If you also like to join this initiative, just contact your national coordinator Zoë Popper

National Biodiversity Data Centre
www.biodiversityireland.ie

Dr Úna Fitzpatrick
ufitzpatrick@biodiversityireland.ie

Award for site with most plants found during Bioblitz
http://bioblitz.biodiversityireland.ie

National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin
Dublin 9, Ireland
www.botanicgardens.ie

Matthew Jebb
matthew.jebb@opw.ie

Fascinating molecules

The Burren College of Art and the BurrenBeo Trust
National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland

trust@burrenbeo.com

 

  • Two walks: wild flowers of the Burren coast
    Contact: Stephen Ward, sdward@eircom.net, + 353 91 638096

Trinity College Dublin in collaboration with the National Botanic Gardens
www.tcd.ie/Botany

 

  • ‘Ireland’s Lilliputian Flora: Mosses and liverworts of the Phoenix Park’
    This event will be held in conjuction with BioBlitz and will aim to document the bryophyte flora of Phoenix Park
    Contact: Dr Daniel Kelly, dkelly@tcd.ie

University of Galway
Botany and Plant Science
School of Natural Science
University Road, Galway, Ireland
www.nuigalway.ie/

Zoë Popper
zoe.popper@nuigalway.ie

 

  • Photo competition:
    deadline May 10th. Open to everyone, Categories under 18 year old include: (1) Burren plants, (2) alien/non-native/naturalised plant(s), (3) ferns, (4) seaweeds, (5) fruit/vegetables, (6) artistic merit. Those over 18 are for (7) undergraduate student, and (8) members of public (18+), postgraduate student or university staff member.
    Photos should be sent to fascinatingplants@nuigalway.ie
    Judging will be after May 10th and winning photographs in each category will be exhibited in the NUI Galway Art Gallery May 18–23
  • Exhibition at NUI Galway Art Gallery: Our Fascinating Flora! May 18–23
    Photographs from the photo competition will be exhibited alongside plant-centred art in various media including works from Botanical artist Margareta Pertl, artists Miriam de Burca, Alan Crowley, Peter Sherry, ceramic art from Veronika Straberger, Anna Pielach and Louise Browne, and wood turning from Ambrose and Brid O’Halloran.
  • Story-telling: May 18th
    Plant-based stories will be told by Rab Fulton.
  • Tree climbing: May 23rd
    What goes on at canopy level in a tree? What do squirrels and birds see? Keith Browne and experts from NUI Galway Mountaineering club will help you get up into the tree (with harnesses, ropes etc) to get a better look!

Trinity College Dublin in collaboration with the National Botanic Gardens
http://www.tcd.ie/Botany

 

  • Ireland’s Lilliputian Flora: Mosses and liverworts of the Phoenix Park
    Visitor Centre (Ashtown Castle), Phoenix Park
    · May 18-19
    · Uachtaran na hEireann Michael D. Higgins will launch Bioblitz 2012 at the visitor centre on Friday 18 May at 4:45 pm
    · Guided walks from the visitor centre on Friday at 7 pm (leader Daniel Kelly)
    · Guided walks from the visitor centre on Saturday at 2 pm (leader Noeleen Smyth)
    · Two specially commissioned botanical sculptures by Niamh Synnott will be on view at the visitor centre
    · Moss and liverworts will be on display at the visitor centre and compound and stereomicroscopes will be available for examination of specimens
    · Workshop activities will focus on how to identify different species
    This event will be held in conjunction with BioBlitz and will aim to document the bryophyte flora of Phoenix Park
    Contact: Dr Daniel Kelly, dkelly@tcd.ie