By John Toal
The Way I See It!
H
ello again readers of the Country Sports and Country Life magazine. I have been reporting to you for a few years as PRO of the NARGC but my tenure in that role has ended with Keith Foran succeeding me. I look forward to reading Keith’s reports. I received a kind invitation for me to continue to contribute in an independent role to this marvellous publication. I was more than delighted to accept this offer. In future then my articles will be less newsy with a more personal and slightly whimsical vent.
Louth over these last few years. With the aid of the local Louth Leader organisation, I have received training in Small Stream Classification and currently am engaged in a training course in identifying invasive species (Flora and Fauna). Truly, even as we get older, every day is still a school day. Green issues are currently to the fore with political parties tripping over each other, each trying to be greener than the other. This newfound environmental awareness may disappear like scotch mist with the next emerging trend but we, country sports people, have always
cared for nature and all the diverse plant and animal life that we are blessed with on this island.
We have ‘skin in the game’ The NARGC slogan “Carers of the Countryside” rings as true today as it always has. Gun Clubs and Fishing Clubs have engaged in environmental and river improvement projects as long as I can remember. Then as the Americans will say “we have skin in the game.” Ours is not an airy-fairy approach to conservation but rather the practical
The Author in ‘thinking mode’
As a now retired person, time to pursue a more varied range of interests and hobbies is now available to me . My interest in our environment, our rivers and streams, bogs and catchment has been sparked anew. I have become involved with ORCCA (Oriel Rivers, Catchment and Coastal Association) here in County
A traditional brace for the table Irish Country Sports and Country Life Spring 2022
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