This article is from page 26 of the 2008-04-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 26 JPG
AN exhibition that highlights so- ciety’s dependence on forestry has opened in the Sean Lemass Public Library.
The ‘Wood of Life’ exhibition is a traveling, hands-on, interactive ex- hibition on the social, economic and environmental importance of the world’s forests through education for sustainable development.
The exhibition is aimed primarily at pupils from fifth and sixth class and second level students.
Run by Just Forests, the exhibition has been a big hit in galleries and li-
braries around Ireland. Just Forests was founded in 1989 in response to global deforestation, making it one of Ireland’s longest established non- governmental organizations. The eroup works solely on global pover- ty-related and tropical forestry/tim- ber issues from a local development perspective.
Just Forests uses society’s depend- ence on wood and the on-going de- cline in global forests as a tool to establish links between the loss of terrestrial biodiversity, development, conflict and poverty.
Tom Roche, spokesperson for Just Forests, said one of the key features
of the exhibition is interaction be- tween the public and the exhibits.
He said, “Its not a typical exhibi- tion. It’s very much hands on, we want people to touch the exhibits. There is an activity sheet that peo- ple can fill out. It’s very much aimed at kids and we’re hoping that all the schools in Shannon will get the chance to come down.”
With the exhibition booked to run in venues around Ireland until May 2009, Tom believes that given the current climate, people are keen to learn about environmental issues.
He said, “We have been touring the exhibition for a while now, but there
are new elements to it. It is an envi- ronmental exhibition and though it we try to explain how important it 1s to manage forests. We have to con- sider why forests are so important in our lives. It is very topical at the mo- ment, because of all the debate about eae oy VM c-v meen be lcame
In association with Just Forests and the Wood of Life Exhibition, Coillte, the Irish Forestry Board has agreed to donate 10 native trees to all schools that visit the Wood of Life Exhibi- tion. Interested schools can forward details to woodlife @justforests.org
‘Wood of Life’ runs in Shannon un- til April 4.