€38,000 boost for CELT

THE East Clare-based national environmental charity CELT (Centre for Environmental Living and Training) has been awarded €38,000 in funding to develop a new training programme, associated equipment and infrastructure.
The funding, which was secured through Clare Local Development Company under the LEADER programme, will be used to incorporate a number of new introductory-level courses as well as courses at intermediate level in a variety of skills at CELT in Tuamgraney.
Among the courses to take place is an Introduction to Agroforestry Design, which will take place from Wednesday, March 30 to March 31. Those interested in attending the course are asked to meet at Caher Rice, Caher at 9.45am on March 30. Participants will visit four different sites near Feakle with Sandro Cafolla (Design by Nature) to look at the design of different agroforestry systems that will give different results. 
Other courses include a one-day Trees for Food course, which will be held on Tuesday, March 29 at the Irish Seed Savers’ Association, Capparoe, Scariff at 10am.
According to a spokesperson for CELT, there is an increasing amount of interest by farmers and home gardeners in planting fruit and nut trees and soft fruit bushes as part of an edible landscape.
“Fruit and nut-producing trees and shrubs can be planted in a formal orchard setting, or as part of a hedgerow planting to increase biodiversity and habitat for wildlife. Course participants will learn about the benefits of planting fruit and nut trees to provide food, while also increasing biodiversity and habitat for wildlife,” the spokesperson said.
The course will cover the practical aspects of site preparation, planting and maintenance and will include hands-on demonstrations in tree planting, pruning and grafting. Meanwhile, a tour of the Irish Seed Savers’ orchards and soft fruit plantings will conclude the day. This course needs to be booked through seed savers from www.irishseedsavers.ie.
Meanwhile, further courses to take place later in the year include a six-weekend-long lake-boat construction course, which will run from May to June, a four-weekend-long course in managing a small-holding with emphasis on biodiversity to be held between July and September. Dates are yet to be confirmed for two more courses, which include an eight-day artist blacksmithing course and a two-day agroforestry design course.
CELT will be celebrating National Tree Week this Friday with a tree-planting day at Killaloe Community Garden where a selection of trees will be planted (including certified native trees) sourced from CELT tree nursery. All are welcome to attend this event.
Meanwhile, CELT’s ever popular Weekend in the Woods events will be held in springtime from April 30 to May 1 and in the autumn on October 1 to 2. These events offer participants a choice from 15 introductory courses for those from 14 years plus including copper smithing, longbow making, rustic furniture making, silver smithing, wood carving, wet felting, blacksmithing, pinning and weaving, herb lore, basketry, sugán chair making, dry-stone walling, natural building, boat building and, for those aged eight to 14, CELT offers rustic art and woodcrafts.
Furthermore, the summer woods event takes place on July 2 to 3 offering introductory courses in musical (woodwind) instrument making and family bushcraft plus intermediate-level courses in natural building, wet felting, silversmithing, wood carving and spinning and weaving.
Further information on all courses and events is available on www.celtnet.org or by emailing info@celtnet.org or telephone 061 640765.  CELT Woods events are held at privately owned Bealkelly Wood, Tuamgraney.