EPA

EPA LAUNCHES 24-HOUR PHONE SERVICE

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled details of a confidential telephone service designed to encourage reporting of illegal dumping of waste or of abandoned illegal dumps. As part of a campaign entitled ‘Dump the Dumpers’ members of the public can report illegal dumping via a 24 hour lo-call telephone number 1850 365 121. Local authorities, the gardaí and the EPA will follow up on the information provided by the public, as appropriate.
The focus of the campaign will be to identify large scale dumping sites that may still be operational or any remaining abandoned illegal dumps. However, the new phone service will also allow members of the public to report larger fly-tipping activities such as sites used for habitual fly-tipping of waste, which have become a scourge of many rural communities in particular. The ‘Dump the Dumpers’ campaign is the latest initiative by the Environmental Enforcement Network, which includes the EPA, all local authorities, the Gardaí and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The service compliments current local authority litter phone lines, which are being actively used by the public to report littering and small-scale fly-tipping activities.The ‘Dump the Dumpers’ campaign is being launched on a pilot basis for six months. A national and regional press and radio campaign will support it over the coming

Environmental.

TREE PROTECTION

Last week I mentioned cob building and straw bale construction as alternatives to the regular house building methods. One issue that keeps coming up is the issue about damp creeping in to the building. If the buildings are well maintained there is no more risk of this happening than in a concrete built house (they are pourus too!) Large overhangs from the roof is one solution to keep the rain off, the other method could be to build the house in a sheltered place near trees. Sites with trees fetch a premium and it always amazes me when developers chop them down. Things are improving a bit though and the value of the tree is being more widely recognised. In addition to their ornamental value trees provide shelter and screening and they can also act as a filter to dust and noise. Trees also give an air of maturity to a new development. In order to live a tree must be able to breathe through its leaves and to absorb sufficient quantities of water and nutrients through its roots from reasonably aerated soil. Mature trees grow within a delicate balance of soil, moisture, nutrients, aeration, drainage and micro-climate. If any of these conditions is disturbed by construction activities on the site the health of a tree will be impaired. Ground levels should stay the same around the trees. I saw an instance recently in Muff where the developer has dumped tonnes of soil into a wooded area to make way for houses. They have raised the ground level by about five feet around the trunks of the trees. The damage caused to the roots by the diggers and the increase in the levels will eventually kill them, although it will take a few years for the full effects to be seen. Trees have most of their roots in the top 1.25 m (4 ft) of soil and generally they extend to just beyond the spread of the branches. Mature trees are very sensitive to such changes. Ground levels, therefore, should not be altered within the crown spread of the tree. If possible houses need to be built away from the trees. Careful planning of the cables is needed too. Overhead cables will mean that the tree will need to be lopped, and there’s enough of that going off already around the peninsula. Putting cables or pipes in the ground near the tree will damage the roots so avoid that too. If you are building a house on a site with a tree in place try to plan around it. Keep the builders away from it by putting up a fence around to the edge of the canopy to stop compaction or pollution of the soil. If you are building a house on a site with no trees, get planting as soon as the builders move out!


Photo: Chopping down a tree lets more than the light in.

TOP TIP

WHITEFLY CONTROL
An effective way to reduce a whitefly infestation is by vacuuming. Portable car vacuums are reckoned to be ideal way of doing this. The domestic vacuum may just eat all of your plants at the same time if you’re not careful! A.K. by e-mail (I think a disclaimer here would be a good idea)

Horticultural.

GET INTO THE SHADE

GET INTO THE SHADE

Move outdoor pots into the shade whilst you are away on your holidays. Stand them in large shallow saucers with a small reservoir of water. Wrapping clay pots in polythene/bubble wrap helps to keep the moisture in too. The council here in Buncrana have introduced the reservoirs on to their hanging baskets this year. They really make a difference ensuring that the plants do not dry out in between watering once or twice a week. Unfortunately we do not have the baskets on the main road at the end of our estate anymore. We did have two of them but the lads deemed it far to o dangerous to water them with the cars rushing past. I know how they feel, I cut the grass on the verge by the side of the main road and you take your life in your hands when the lorries and vans speed by. If you don’t have the reservoirs baskets then a bottle with the bottom cut off pushed into the soil will do a great job when it is filled with water. An associate of mine who produces baskets for sale will not sell them to anyone unless they have a proper watering system. He has his reputation to think about!

Horticultural.

PONDS

Continue to remove blanket weed and duckweed using a net or rake. Pile the weed by the side of the pond for 24 hours to allow pond life to crawl back into the water and then put on the compost heap. Keep an eye on aquatic and marginal plants, removing faded flowers and yellow leaves, and cutting back where necessary.

Make sure that the fish have enough water and if the sun gets too hot, put some shade over an edge of the pond to give them some cool shade. Aerate the water in hot sticky weather by leaving fountains on overnight and top up the water regularly.

Shallow water features or those with water washing over cobbles can become green very quickly in summer weather. Algaecides may need applying more frequently than in normal ponds. If you do not want to spend the money or are worried about pollution the clear out fallen leaves and debris regularly, this will help to keep down algal growth. There will be fewer nutrients available from rotting organic matter.

Horticultural.

INSTANT HEDGE

Photo: The real thing!

I am always looking out for new plants and garden ideas that can be stored in my database of photos for future reference. Unfortunately I find that I am going out without my camera since I bought one that is too large to fit in my pocket. I have been finding myself repeating the words “If only I had my camera with me” It makes a change though because before this my much repeated phrase was “I’ll just get my gloves” I have been looking at some new innovations for the gardens this week. It’s probably always been the case but I must say that some of the ideas for the outside space are getting a bit bizarre. I noticed speakers for the garden made to look like rocks. (Rock music I suppose). It is good to see that the outdoor heaters are fading from popularity this year though. Not only were they a waste of energy, they were very ineffective as well. Talking of instant gratification how about this for an idea.

INSTANT HEDGE
If you have an unsightly chain link wire fence and fancy something a bit different, try this new idea. The fence is a easily disguised using strips of wire covered in hairy, green plastic, a bit like a giant pipe cleaner. The strips are simply pushed through the chain link. Although it sounds like a great idea, like there is no need for watering, there are a few downsides. Firstly they are made out of plastic, which isn’t that desirable, and secondly if kids get wind of the fact that they pull out the fence, you will have some very large pipe cleaner creations around the garden. It isn’t available here yet, the American market are test-driving it first. It will probably be here soon enough though .





Horticultural.